The last guest has left, you have packed away the leftovers and dried the last plate, the sun has set and the reality that Christmas is over dawns on you. Other than feelings of tiredness, exhaustion, satisfaction and gratitude sometimes there is some remorse or sadness at this time – what psychologist call post-holiday blues. It is not uncommon after the excitement has subsided, to feel sad or even depressed. This can stem from introspection about decisions made, memories dredged by interactions with those you spent the time with or just the mere fact that you are back to the normal life – one that you are not happy with or that you are unsure about.
It is very easy to get caught up in and be carried along by the wave of excitement Christmas brings; so, you have made decisions you now regret. Perhaps you exceeded your budget, became unnecessarily indebted and are now wondering how you will fix your financial situation. Was the outfit you bought for Christmas really worth it? Did you even wear the outfit? Was all the fuss made about the one day even worth it? Answers that are not in the affirmative may put a damper on your spirit. Do not despair! If it is any consolation you are not alone in the situation. Look on the bright side, you enjoyed yourself, look at the things you bought as gifts to yourself or investments in your happiness. The next thing is to plan a recovery strategy that is realistic.
If the company you spent time with caused you to feel down, ask yourself why? Did you have unrealistic expectations? Oh, you had hoped that perhaps that particular person had changed, or could it be that you are comparing yourself to others and somehow feel that you have fallen short? Pick yourself up, remember circumstances and people are different. Assess your realities and resolve to aspire to be a better version of who you are, starting with small steps. Stop being hard on yourself. Or did the company or lack thereof remind you of someone missing from your life? It is hard not to grieve but try instead to focus on and cherish the good memories.
So, you are blue because now you go back to normal life. Perhaps it is not so bad after all. You may simply need to change your perspective. Be thankful for what you have and use it to work towards what you want. You may think you do not have much, but you do -! you have you! Learn to depend on you for decisive actions, good advice and your happiness. Start by making wise choices, focus on your wellbeing, be honest in your assessment of yourself and work consistently at improving. If all goes well, next Christmas you will not have a case of the blues.
