January Blues?

The "January Blues" is a common feeling that many of us experience as the excitement and busyness of the holiday season fades. In the northern hemisphere, it’s a time when the weather is cold in many places, the days are still short, and there is often a resistance to return to routine.

Personally, I feel lowest in energy and mood in November when the light and the earth energy draw in. And January, for me, is the time of new beginnings. Even though the days are still short and the nights long, the Winter Solstice (21^st December), celebrates the return of the light and stepping towards spring. The earth still looks barren, and at the same time, the seeds of new life are already bourgeoning under the surface: a fresh, new energy to tap into, to draw strength from.

In whatever way January affects us at work or at home, it’s important to acknowledge when we feel low in mood and energy without dwelling on it or pitying ourselves – this makes matters worse. Different levels of energy, different moods are part of the flow of life, part of the seasons, as nothing is linear or static, but interconnected and changing all of the time.

Being kind to ourselves, slowing down and taking small steps to support ourselves during this month are key. For many of us, this feels counterintuitive. We believe that we should do more, do it faster, feel better, get on with things. Quite the opposite is true. Often, what causes us most pain and difficulty, is our own harsh, pushy attitude and critical views of ourselves.

It’s all in the mind.

This January, you may want to get curious about some of your typical and habitual ways of thinking about January, of viewing yourself. It you think of January in absolute statements such as: January is difficult, I don’t like it, I always feel low, uninspired, I never do what I intended to do and things don’t work out... That’s the lens (mind-set) you look through and that becomes your reality.

Thoughts are only thoughts and they are not necessarily true. We don’t have to believe them or be drawn further into them. Instead, we can stay connected to the wider life, see what is happening every day: a meaningful conversation with a colleague, sitting around the dinner table with family, a partner, friends, a presentation well held, a productive afternoon, finding a creative solution to a problem, making time to reflect, re-committing to something that matters to us…

Here are six tips on how to meet the January Blues:

1. Set achievable intentions: Instead of grand New Year’s resolutions, try to set small, realistic intentions that are easy to stick to and that you actually want to do. Remember: intentions are not a January thing per se. We can set an intention every day of the year.
   
   
2. Get moving: Exercise can boost our mood. A walk in nature and in the fresh air can help enormously and can radically change how we feel.
   
   
3. Social connection: Every week, reach out to a different colleague for a chat over coffee or lunch, contact friends or family for a chat, or make plans to get together.
   
   
4. Practice self-care: Whether it’s slowing down, meditation, spending time outdoors, engaging in an interest or passion, exercise or time-out, find ways to nurture yourself.
   
   
5. Mindfulness and gratitude: Practice mindfulness or journaling to reflect on the good stuff in your life, helping shift your perspective and keep you connected to your wider life, ie the things that support and nourish you in your life.
   
   
6. Light therapy: If you live in a place with long, dark winters, consider using a light therapy box to mimic natural sunlight. Note: this can be supportive but does not change your mind-set, i.e., how you view and relate to yourself, others, world.
   
   

And here are different ways of relating to January:

• Think of January as a new beginning - it will lift your spirit and energy levels; it will also help broaden your perspective on the year and plans ahead. Think of January as the turning point that moves us towards spring again - although the land and the trees still look bare, remember that there is already lots going on in the earth in preparation of new life to come.
  
  
• Think of January as the ideal month to review the last year and to set intentions for the new year. Make some time to reflect – settle down with a notebook and a cuppa.
  
  This is also a great thing to do with your team or family. You can each share:
  - Three highlights of the year
  - Three unhelpful habits that you want to let go of eg. To shift away from the ego to being more in the service of something larger than our self-interest (this does not have to be shared publicly)
  • Three learnings
  • Three intentions for the coming year
    
    
• Notice the good things, the beautiful, the small things you enjoy and appreciate. They are always there even when we are locked up in January Blues. To make this even more powerful, write down 5-10 things that you have liked and appreciated in your day. This practice strengthens the part in our brain that can see and absorb the good and this in turn strengthens our mental resilience and lifts our mood. Letting in the good/ seeing the pleasant things is different from gratitude for the things we have – something you could also add to your reflection.

Wishing you a different kind of January.