January Blues: The Self-Care Guide
I’ve been mustering up the courage to find something to podcast about but I felt I couldn’t podcast because I didn’t want to come across as fake when I prefer to write about the reality of situations. Let’s talk about January. It’s cold, it’s dark, daylight is short, we’ve just come off the high of the holidays and that’s where we spent most of our money. (There’s actually an interesting article on how millennials spend their money during Christmas here.)
I don’t know about you but at this time of year, I feel incredibly drained. So today, my post is going to be a bit different, it’s going to be about working through it and self-care.
Working Through It
Whilst winter takes its toll on all of us for different reasons, I’ve realised one of the best things I can do is work through it. A part of me didn’t want to do Season 2 of The Bola Sol Show in February because I wanted to spend the beginning months of the year moping through the winter. The people I work with very closely for the show made me realise that it just wasn’t realistic to change my reality because of a down season. The same goes for you, you can’t escape a season just because it doesn’t suit your preference of comfort. Through adverse times we really have to keep going and enduring because that is where our character is not only tested but shaped. Some people try to escape hard times but I’ve learned that you can’t escape it and no one is exempt from it. If you’ve been burying your head under your pillow I really hope you get up and see that this period isn’t going to last but you have to work through it. So no matter what is going on, get up and work through this season of your life. I promise you you’re stronger than you think.
Self Care
I had to write about self-care because I usually feel very run down during this season and often very depleted. So as much as these tips may be helping you, they are also helping me.
Know yourself enough to trust what your body is telling you it needs at that moment in time. At times we get so busy with work and everyone else, we forget to take care of ourselves. We meet up with our friends and we see our family and somehow even though we are present, our personal needs can fade into the background.
Here are a few ways I take care of myself that may work for you too:
- I delete all my social media apps once a week. It might sound like I have a problem but I think a lot of us do but a lot of us don’t want to say it. We are taking in so much information along with everyone’s emotions and it can really start to drain us. Don’t be afraid to switch off and recharge. These are usually my best days.
- I keep a whole weekend free every month. Sometimes I don’t even know what I’m going to get up to but I know it’s going to be whatever the hell it is I want it to be. “Me time” on your calendar is real time so don’t be afraid to mark it off and tell people your busy. My favourite line when challenged as to what I’m doing is, “I have meetings.” – I have no meetings but people mistake “me time” for being lazy.
- Eat healthily. This is so key in the winter. Trust me I love bad foods too but it does nothing for your immune system, so make sure you balance it out with fresh vegetables and fruit. I’ve not been ill once this winter and I owe it to my obsession with eating healthy.
- It’s okay to postpone and even cancel. Winter can take such a toll on us and while people want to meet up, the energy isn’t always there to do so. There’s nothing wrong with asking if you can meet with someone at a later date because you just need some time to get better. More people will understand than you think so don’t be afraid to speak out if you need to take a rain check (pun intended).
Sorry I haven’t been posting much, I’ve been busy preparing for Season 2 of The Bola Sol Show and of course, the holidays just finished. Nonetheless, I want to thank you all for reading my work and for your constant support because I know I’m not creating my success all on my own. I always say we are all we have so we have to stick together.
I’ll be back sooner this time!
