January Blues
It is said January is the most depressing month of the year.
The term January Blues according to the Urban Dictionary means:
This is the funk that you enter when the holiday season is over. It starts on January 2nd and lasts at least until February 1st, sometimes until President’s Day.
It is an unpleasant time because the holiday season is over, spring is a ways off, the weather is cold and the only movies are lousy January movies. Super Bowl Sunday can be a good cure for this condition.
Why the blues in January?
Now blues, is different from all out depression. It is a dip in mood, so bear this in mind, as we go deeper in our talk on this subject.
So what is peculiar about January? Why the blues at this time? And can we get over it?
End of festivities
Christmas is over. New Year’s Day celebration is over. The festivities seem to come to an abrupt end after months of preparation.
The shops seem to get the decorations out earlier every year. Come January 6, especially in the UK, the decorations and colour are all gone abruptly.
And then some are exhausted mentally, physically and emotionally. Instead of feeling refreshed after time off work, they feel drained and going back to work is no comfort.
What can you do? Use January to refresh and revive yourself. Eat properly. Do something new, like a new hobby or activity, or even de-cluttering, to motivate yourself.
Exercise is also said to be a great booster especially if the circumference of the midriff expanded aiding to the blues!
Cold, short, dark days
If you live in colder climates, the days are shorter in terms of how much daylight we get.
Sometimes we go days without knowing there is something like sun exists.The mornings are frosty. There may be snow, high winds and fogs…okay…no need to go on right?
But the shortest days were in December. Yes, true. But the festivities and the Christmas lights deviated our attention from our dark, bare and stark the environment seems.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)can also be a factor. It is related to how the body responds to daylight.
What can you do? Use the long nights to your advantage. Have a guilt free early night now and again.
Begin to look forward to brighter days. For indeed in January, the days are gradually getting longer. That 2 minutes later sunset time a day adds up. At the end of the week, you may find the sun set 10 or so minutes later than the start.
Money, money
You may have spent more than you planned for in December. And even if you did not overspend, you most probably spent more than usual. And the Sales too, got their own share in the money pot.
The next payday check seems a long way away. And the bills are no respecter of how much money is in your account.
What can you do? Keep a track of your spending. See where you can cut back, change suppliers, cancel underused subscriptions. Now is also good time to devise savings plans for next December.
Also sell some of unwanted presents or never used items on Ebay or your town’s Facebook local page!
The new year
The new year for some also brings uncertainties about what the future holds.
With all the positives and even negatives of the previous year, you made it into a new year. What will the year bring?
What can you do? The year does not bring anything to us. Some things are time sensitive, but rather than look ahead with dread, rather have a healthy hopeful expectation.
Rather than make unrealistic new year resolutions, pray/meditate over your plans for the year.
It is good to have plans for the year so we don’t stay in our comfort zone. And if you do not meet the plans, remember it is not the end of the world. This is key to remember this whenever you make plans.
Finally, with January blues, Monday bluesor any blues, strive to let the joy in.
Gratitude, helping others, spending time with others rather than in isolation are all ways of achieving this.
Know your triggers. Speaking to your doctor, counsellor, mentor, Pastor, are all examples of reaching for help.
The important thing to remember about January blues, is that January will come to an end.
Rather than have 31 days of sadness, despair or even depression, look forward with hope.
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