January 15th, 2024
This resource article is intended to be for informational purposes only. Any clinical information or advice contained in this article is not intended as a thorough, in-depth delivery of clinical service and does not replace what a clinician would provide during a session in a regular format, and should not be used to form a diagnosis or determine medication usages or frequencies that a physician or other mental health professional would provide. If you or someone you know are facing a crisis situation, please call the BC Crisis Centre at +1.800.784.2433 (1-800-SUICIDE) or visit their website, call 911 or your local emergency line, or visit the nearest emergency room.
You made it through the holiday season — congratulations! Hopefully, it was a time of relaxation, joy, and fun. Unfortunately, for many, the end of the holidays marks the beginning of a statistically more difficult time of year: January and February.
Why Are These Months Difficult?
There are plenty of reasons people find January and February difficult. For some, the symptoms of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) have reached their peak. For others, grief can make the holiday season exceptionally difficult, spilling over into the months following. Others may have overextended themselves financially or emotionally, getting caught up in the commerciality of the season, or are feeling the pressure of setting goals and achieving new heights. Did your credit card bill just arrive? New year, new you? Yikes!
No matter why you may be struggling, there are a few things you can do to get through these two tough months and boost your mental resilience for the months ahead, and build the skills necessary to do the same for years to come. While you should always prioritize seeking guidance from a professional (like one of our experienced clinicians!), these are some things you can put into practice to help right away.
1. Don’t Make a Resolution
You don’t have to make a massive change in your life just because “it’s tradition.” Don’t put all that pressure on yourself! If you are inspired by the turning of the year, write out some aims you’d like to achieve. No drastic changes; make it something you can work towards step-by-step and day-by-day, and remember that resolutions are only effective with a plan in place. As long as you make every day meaningful, even in the smallest way, you’ll see benefits over time.
2. Practice Kindness — To Yourself
When you take care of yourself, you’ll be better positioned to address the deeper things. Start with being kind to yourself. Do something you enjoy just for you, or take a look in the mirror and list three things you love about yourself. Also, let yourself rest guilt-free! Even if you don’t think so, you DESERVE a break.
Exercise and movement are other excellent ways to take care of yourself and practice kindness. Go for a walk outside, do a leisurely stretch, or try a new fitness class for fun. Whatever kindness looks like to you, ensure you treat yourself how you’d treat your closest friends, and don’t forget to treat them well too! Which leads to our next suggestion:
3. Nurture Your Relationships
You’ll feel stronger when you can trust in and rely on the people around you. Knowing you have support helps you push through challenging situations and believe in your ability to handle a crisis. While you may feel like shutting yourself in this January and February, take some time to reach out to loved ones and nurture those key relationships to ensure you have enough social support to remain resilient.
4. Practice Gratitude
Even on the darkest days, there’s something you can find to be grateful for. It could be as simple as waking up that day or having a full cup of coffee. Whether you take a mental note as you notice something that makes you smile or carve out an intentional moment to write down three things every day, recognizing the good stuff on the tough days helps with positivity and brings a new perspective.
5. Be Proactive
Being prepared can help reduce stress and make incorporating the above tips into your day-to-day even easier. If you know these months are difficult for you, book a session with your clinician, set aside time for self-care, make plans with a friend, get a journal ready to be filled with gratitude, and let go of the need to “be productive” from the get in 2024. The more prepared you are to accept and address the stress and emotions that accompany the darkest months of the year, the easier they will be to manage.