Post Holiday Blues: 6 Ways to Overcome Them

It's easy to feel down after the holidays are over. From October to January 1^st, there's holiday hype and excitement, anticipation and stress. Everywhere you turn festive decorations and music fill your eyes and ears.

We buy the candy, put up the lights, purchase gifts, enjoy meals and parties with family and friends, and relish the extra days off work. Whether you do much or nothing at all for the holidays, there's no doubt that we're all affected by the time of year. As soon as October rolls in, "holiday mode" is set in motion.

Then, January 2^nd arrives and suddenly it's all over. We spent so much time, money and energy this season, and now what?

If, like so many, you've caught a bit of the "post holiday blues," review the suggestions here, for some ways you can cope with and rise from the ashes of the holiday season.

1. Give Yourself permission to feel bad

It's ok to feel bad after the holidays are over; many people do. For three months you were caught up in the spirit of the season and then it abruptly came to an end. It's hard to readjust and it can cause us to feel a little out of wack for a while. But, it's only temporary. Don't criticize yourself for feeling down. It's hard to overcome gloomy feelings for whatever reason, if we try to pretend they are not there. Tell yourself, you are going to allow yourself to feel as bad as you want about this for 24 hours. After the 24 hours are up, you'll pick yourself up and move on with the New year.

2. Find new things to look forward too

Now that the holidays are over there are many more things to look forward too. Spring will be arriving soon and that means brighter, warmer days with beautiful flowers blooming all around us.

Maybe there are special events coming up that you are excited about. Local festivals, celebrations, trips, vacations, or birthdays. If you don't know of anything coming up you can look forward to, just do a little research and you'll find many things.

3. Create a special day each month

There really is something to celebrate every day. Since we're all busy in our own ways, having a daily celebration probably wouldn't fit into our schedule. But, setting a day each month is most likely doable.

Why not try it? Whether you're single or have a family, pick one day a month to celebrate simply being alive (or anything you feel like celebrating). This way you will have something to look forward to each month.

Gather the family together for a special dinner, plan an event together. Or if you live alone, make this a day to pamper or treat yourself. There are so many things and ways we can celebrate. Think about it and see what you can come up with.

4. Focus on what's great about everyday life

The holidays can be great, but they are also stressful and create a lot of anxiety. Every day life may be mundane and boring sometimes, but there are many wonderful things about it too. Decide today to start looking for all of the things you can be grateful for, right now, in your normal life.

5. Let friends and family know how much you care about and appreciate them

Many of us spend time with family around the holidays that we otherwise don't see very often. After the holidays end, saying goodbye can be hard. Although there is no real cure for this kind of sadness and disappointment, it helps if we call them or send them a letter, telling them how much we enjoyed spending time with them, appreciate them, and look forward to seeing them. Let yourself miss them for a while, and then instead of focusing on how much you miss them, think about how much you enjoyed being able to be with them for the time you were together.

6. Focus on Goals

We all set New Year's resolutions and we all have given up on them. Maybe you think it's pointless to even try again this year. But, New Year's resolutions are great ways to overcome "post holiday blues." They give us something exciting to focus on and look forward to.

The trick is to not set too many, or make them too difficult. Decide what you want to work on the most this year, what your ultimate goal is in this area, and start out with baby steps. Whatever the goal is, just start out small, and gradually work your way toward completion.

The holidays will come and go again as they always do. They'll bring joy and sorrow with them as they have before. Remember that nothing lasts forever, whether good or bad. Try to make the best of each day you have, cherish moments with friends and loved ones, and those moments of solitude as well. If you do, you'll find those "post holiday blues" melting away.