Finding Yourself After the Holidays

By FCS | January 20, 2020

I carry myself differently when I feel strong. Self-care is one of the active ways that I love myself.”

Tracee Ellis Ross, Actress

 

The Rush

In the last few months, we have had so many holidays and celebrations, I can sometimes forget what it is like not to be in a crowded room of family or friends celebrating some holiday away from work. January hits me hard. Suddenly, I am back in the normal flow of things, but it always seems to take time for me to adjust.

This year, a few days after celebrating Christmas with my family, my mother brought up that she was feeling a bit down, and that she started to educate herself about after-holiday depression. She shared that she spends months getting the house, gifts, and food ready, and then it’s all over. It’s a rush that quickly fades. I told her that I can relate to that.

It is in fact, quite normal for this to happen – some 25% of Americans face a downswing after the holidays. And one of the top suggestions for overcoming is taking care of yourself. 

Caring for You

If you are like me or my mom, you might find that taking extra care of yourself in January can help you cope and work on getting back to yourself. Different people offer different advice for taking care of yourself. Some advise making time to call your friends to catch up or cleansing your diet from holiday sweets, while others suggest taking breaks or being wise to say “no” to distractions or time-wasting activities. 

The trick, in my opinion, is to find a balance of something new and something routine to care for yourself. For my mom, she has begun to take more walks outside. For me, calling up one old friend a week has helped me refocus and rekindle. Find your unique needs and go after them with an approach towards self-caring. 

The holidays can be a great big mix of stress, healing, family, and friends. So, as January winds us up for the new year ahead of us, let’s take time to recharge. In January, let’s pay extra attention to self-care so we can focus on the year ahead.

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