Preparing for the Post-Holiday Blues

The Holiday Blues. I wish I was writing about preparing to go to a holiday-themed blues concert. A little B.B. King, Etta James, Charles Brown's "Merry Christmas, Baby" refresher. Tips on what to wear, what cocktail or mocktail to order to match the vibe, the positive effects of warm, dim lighting. Unfortunately, this piece is about a different kind of Holiday Blues, and typically not a fun kind.

The Post-Holiday Blues I am talking about is the feelings of sadness and emptiness that comes usually early January, after the New Year. The festivities have come to a close, your decorations are coming down, and the scale has gone up because, like me, you decided the 14th Christmas cookie was absolutely worth it. You are not alone in this feeling. Many people experience this phenomenon. So, I'm going to give you 3 tips that may help you prepare for and mitigate this super, un-fun, time period.

Manage Expectations

Some people set high expectations around the holiday season. This is a friendly reminder that your life is not a Hallmark or Lifetime Christmas movie. As much as we want to make Lacey Chabert's plot lines happen, they're *probably* not going to happen. The Christmas photo you envision with you and your kids throwing fluffy snow in the air will probably not look as perfect as you thought it would. The holiday party with your family might not be as lively or magical as you imagined. This blog about the Holiday Blues will not go viral. And guess what? That's okay. Many people get a feeling of disappointment or sadness because the holidays did not go exactly as they planned. To help combat this feeling, instead of reflecting on what didn't happen, focus on what did happen.

Acceptance

Suck it up buttercup. Just kidding. Practicing acceptance is actually a therapeutic technique. Give yourself permission to feel all the feelings that might come with the Post-Holiday Blues: sadness, loneliness, disappointment, emptiness, anxiety, grief. Validating and acknowledging your own emotions without judgement can be a powerful tool to move through the feeling. It gives you more power over the emotion and motivation to choose to do something productive about it. Follow these 3 steps: 1) acknowledge you feel the way you do, 2) ask yourself what helps when you feel this way, and 3) do that thing. For example, you feel lonely now that all the family and family get togethers are over. Accept and validate the feeling of loneliness. Think about what helps you when you feel lonely. Do the thing that helps (calling a friend, cuddling your cat, volunteering). If you do not know what helps, now is the time for your coping skill experimentation journey.

Something To Look Forward To

The holidays are over. Pumpkin spice and peppermint are no longer featured Starbucks flavors. The next time your whole family will get together is in a year. This feels sad. Another tip to help manage Post-Holiday Blues is setting something to look forward to. This helps instill feelings of excitement or hope. It doesn't have to be a big event like a Spring Break vacation to Turks and Caicos. It can be scheduling dinner and drinks with your cousin in a couple weeks. It can be getting excited about a new book, TV show, or movie release (peep The Devil Wears Prada 2 for me). Booking a massage. Planning a Galentine gathering. A green beer on St. Patrick. Lavender flavors. Whatever floats your boat, set some things to look forward to.

Final Note

Post-Holiday Blues are normal, and it is important to remember they are temporary. If feelings of sadness, emptiness, hopelessness persist more than a couple weeks it would be appropriate to talk to your doctor or a counselor. If you feel you are in crisis, call 988 or go to your local emergency department.