Coming off the holidays and dealing with a sick household where NONE of us (even the dog) was ok for about 10 days, I returned to whatever my new normal is and felt incredibly stuck, lost, and wondering if I could still pack a punch! I did what any weary human being would do – scroll through news headlines (a habit I would like to break), scroll through social media (looked for ‘miserable company’ as I wallowed and wanted to know I wasn’t alone), and stared at the fridge and cupboards wishing I had an appetite but would invariably find a piece of chocolate and walk away.
So, what’s the cure for those who are wallowing or wishing for a sunny, warm, beach trip?
1) Accept that it’s ok to be in this space.
2) Know you are not alone – trust me, my coaching clients and peeps are all feeling trepidation and ‘stuckness’ as we step not so boldly into 2023.
3) Recognize that you will have bad moments, hours, days, weeks potentially and that’s ok too.
4) Start infusing hope and highlights back into your life, whether you review photos and memories, reach out to dear friends and family, or put stuff on your calendar that brings heart smiles – for example, I love home and garden shows. I’ve put every event I could find within a two-hour radius (and even some in places I want to visit) on my calendar. I’ve booked a trip to Virginia Beach, and I am choosing speaking engagements this week that align with my passions. It’s amazing what momentum can do.
5) Speaking of momentum, choose to do something, no matter how small that gets you off the couch, out of bed, or away from your desk (if needed). I started walking more during daylight hours (used to walk at dawn and dusk but that sunlight makes such a difference!) Clean the fridge, empty out an drawer of junk and see what you don’t need anymore. Just getting up and doing something different has such positive effects on well-being. (Also, helping others, volunteering, visiting an animal shelter or rescue can also be very good for the soul!)
6) And, something I learned after my brother died by suicide in March 2012 – the transition from winter to spring is a draining process. Not only do we have to recalibrate as we come out of safe and quiet hibernations and be more socially active / re-engage according to ‘social norms’, but we are being bombarded with hormones and neuro-chemicals that are trying to re-activate us. It’s a lot to take, and I’ll be honest, it’s not surprising that the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Center for Health Statistics report that “suicide rates in the United States are lowest during the winter months and highest in the spring and summer”. <Wikipedia>
For those of you right now staring at your computer, and looking for inspiration — here it is! It truly doesn’t take much to shift into a motivated space and place – WHEN YOU ARE READY! Want to talk it out and see if we can identify ways to kick-start your 2023? Reach out to me for a safe and confidential conversation.
Know you are not alone, especially in these months which tend to be tough on all of us…
In the meantime, here are some of my favorite memes to help with motivation, inspiration, and heart smiles (maybe a few groans too!)
Struggling with life, with work, with being? 