Bitter cold, missed goals, or life changes, it doesn’t matter why, but this time of January always has me dreaming of warm places, new opportunities, and simply being DONE with this month! But since this repeats yearly, I’ve developed some tips on how to beat the January Blues!
With temperatures struggling to reach single digits, I want to curl up by the fireplace with my dog, a good book, and read or nap. Motivation for the purging, cleaning, writing, exercise, and organizing I energetically envisioned weeks ago has blown away with the bitter wind. If you feel the same, read on as I’ve created mental mantras and timely tips to beat the January blues once and for all!
Re: All Those Goals & Intentions
Remember all those goals from early this month? Even if we’ve missed a few, that doesn’t mean today can’t be better! Here are a few mantras to remind ourselves on days when motivation is missing…
- Small Steps (& Choices Matter): Maybe we haven’t ___(insert a missed goal here)___, that doesn’t mean we can’t do something toward the goal today. Even small steps toward intentions and tiny choices make a difference and matter! Let’s do something, make one choice, put one foot in front of the other toward the intention we created, then another foot and soon we’ll be walking out the door (as my friend the Winter Warlock from one of my favorite Christmas classic movies says)! What one step can we take toward a goal today?
- Focus on the Big Picture: I repeat the word “focus” to myself all day long. It’s my little memory technique mantra that reminds me to focus on one thing at a time (multitasking is NOT good for our brains) and to focus on the big picture. If we find ourselves getting sidetracked, interrupted, or starting to multitask, simply say “focus” silently or even out loud to get back on track. See if this simple word brings you back on task and helps to remember the big picture reason you’re doing (or need to get going on) that task.
- Chip Away: Achieving big goals doesn’t happen all at once. They’re accomplished with small steps (see above) and in small spaces of time. Have ten minutes or half an hour? What can we achieve in small pockets of time? Absolutely more than we think we can! Plus, once we start chipping away, momentum builds and we keep going and walking out that proverbial door to an amazing accomplishment! So, chip away and watch the tiny progress add up!
Be Your Best Cheerleader!
I’m not going to sugar coat it; sometimes sad things happen. People die, life changes in ways we didn’t anticipate or want, or that desire or goal just isn’t going to transpire. When life throws curveballs or even when day seven of really ccccccccold temperatures pokes at our last nerve, let’s not complain-but be our best cheerleader! Here are a few tips/tricks that have helped me:
- Do This Until Then: This encourages me when I need to do something I don’t want to do or seems big or overwhelming. It’s like the ten-to-thirty-minute suggestion above. I set little time or purpose goals to chip away at large or undesirable tasks. Examples: Write until 3:00. Finish this month’s bookkeeping. Prep for one dinner this week. Read one more chapter. Start the blog post. I used all these examples this week to write more, keep up with financial work, be thoughtful about our eating, finish reading a book, and write this blog post. Let’s set mini goals of ‘do this until then’ this week to cheer ourselves forward.
- Focus on the Positive: When the negative temps and whipping winds slap us in the face, it’s difficult to smile and enjoy the day. But complaining won’t make it warmer. Asking ‘what if’ and ‘why’ repeatedly in a situation out of our control isn’t helpful either. Those mindsets don’t change anything and only feed the negative vortex of January blues! Instead, let’s flip the script and focus on the positive. It’s challenging to do. But when we’re purposeful, we often find positive. Examples: Cold weather means more time for those inside projects and activities. Unforeseen situations allow me to help others or ask others for help, both of which can strengthen relationships. When we flip our focus to positive in negative situations, we cheer ourselves to being optimistic especially when January blues threaten to derail us!
- Move! This seems counterintuitive when all we want to do is nap by the fire, but moving and exercising truly boosts us out of the January blues! Exercising early in the day lifts our spirits and sets a positive tone for the rest of the day, but that’s not always feasible. Especially when exercising gets delayed until later in the day, don’t skip it! Move, exercise, get that heartrate up in a way that works for your body and feel the endorphins improve your mood, brain, and body! Again, one foot in front of the other literally works wonders!
These mental reminders and practical tips are improving my January and can assist you too! Try them and let’s utilize them consistently to beat the January blues!