If you're like most people, the holidays, at this point, are just a lovely memory of time spent with family and friends, fading fast in your rearview mirror. You've been back at work for awhile now and you've resumed your regular routine.

If you're like me, and the 1 in 5 other Americans going through it, you're suffering from a post holiday malady known as the "post holiday blues". After spending an extended period of time in a kind of Utopian universe where staying up late, sleeping in, distancing yourself from all things work-related, overindulging constantly in rich holiday foods, talking and laughing until the wee hours of the morning were all de rigeur, I'm finding myself adrift on a sea of melancholy.

Work feels overwhelming, setting up a simple vet appointment for my dog, daunting, and forget about getting the vehicle in for two separate recall service checks! I'm just not up for it yet. I have a strong desire to close my eyes and wait for the month of January to just be over.

Oh I know there are lots of suggestions for how to beat the post holiday blues, like:

  • Taking time to disconnect after re-connecting to the digital world
  • Cutting yourself some slack. It takes more time for some of us to get back into the swing of things
  • Try to add a few more healthy foods to your diet, and maybe a couple less cookies
  • Remember all the fun and special moments the holidays brought with them
  • Plan something to look forward to, even if it is just a movie night with friends

But for now I plan to simply be a somewhat morose, quiet and reflective being, who will rely on cynicism and anxiety to power me through this irritating time of the year. If your symptoms last longer than they ought to, please seek out professional assistance. It is not a sign of weakness to ask for help. I have and will continue to.


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