Navigating the post-holiday blues

As the holiday season is coming to a close, I, like most of us, recently had the opportunity to bask in the glow of family and friends. I enjoyed delicious foods, plenty of laughs, many hugs and kisses – and only suffered few hardships, which were mainly realizations that certain cherished family members are aging, the babies are no longer babies, etc. How blessed are we that can look back at the holidays with a sweet smile.

With that being said, the holidays can leave us feeling… spent. Even if you have a Ph.D. in Zen and a master’s in meditative breathing, I bet it is safe to say that you are a little more unraveled than when you were asking your neighbors or grandchildren what they wanted to be for Halloween.

We have wassailed, caroled, eaten, drank and rolled in the love that represents this time of year.

We all know that the holidays can be a “depressing time,” but what about the after-holiday blues? The shade of blue that comes from remembering holidays and people that have passed, the deep cobalt the current balance on your “Christmas credit card” can invite, or, dare I guess what color the bathroom scale can shade us?

We often build up to the holidays which such gusto and anticipation that we forget that it will be over before you know it. The excitement, the wrapping paper and celebrations – it all explodes in a mix of tinsel and mistletoe and then it abruptly disappears. It is no wonder that about 25 percent of us will suffer such an after-the-holiday letdown, that we’ll become depressed and anxious within a few days or even a week later. After searching the internet to soothe my own post-holiday blues and blahs, I came upon Dr. Frank Barnhill, MD’s site specifically pointing out ways to avoid stress and depression after the holidays. His version is much lengthier than mine, but here are my three favorites:

• When you first feel the blues coming on, sit quietly for 20 to 30 minutes and think of all the good things that happened during the season. Try to think of all those warm and fuzzy things that made you feel so good about yourself and the world in general. Write down a next year’s resolution list to help make sure those good things happen again.

• Remember all the things you did receive, the blessings you have and don’t dwell on what you didn’t receive or what you don’t have.

• Try to set up a “help the needy” winter fund and help those very same less fortunate families in January and February you helped during Christmas. Being needy is not limited to Christmas, yet that’s when we tend to think about helping others the most. In addition, a lot of needy families really need help in January and February. Most of us started small in our efforts and built them up over the last twenty years.

Doing this gives us a sense of “the reason to be here” and a lot of satisfaction.

So, my neighbors and my peers; be kind to yourself during this time after holiday detox period. You are not alone in your earthly travels – we humans struggle, albeit differently from one and other, but we do nonetheless. We also smile, laugh and persevere. We are able to help one and other and in turn, we reap the personal benefits of benevolence. Life is so much larger than the moments that make it up. What more can we ask for than to feel life’s full spectrum of colors?

Bullet points taken from Barnhill, Frank M.D. (2014, Dec. 28). How to avoid stress and depression after the holidays. http://www.diy-stress-relief.com.