Transitioning into 2020
2020-01-07 00:00:00 Natasha Griffin
December 26th has come and gone. Growing up in my home there was an unspoken rule that we could not speak of Christmas again until the dust settled. The Christmas blues were something we all felt, dragging our feet while stating the mantra, just 364 more days until we celebrate again.
It is natural to feel a bit sad or depressed after the holiday seasons begin to dissipate. The holiday season brings many memories and feelings up for people and it seems to be easy at times to get wrapped up in the whimsy.
It is important to remember that for some, the holiday season brings an abrupt end to their normal routine. Adjustment to and from this shift may be difficult and it may take time to get acclimated. Remember to be easy on yourselves this new year when adjusting back into the weekly schedules you find yourselves in.
It is easy for people to focus on the negative when reflecting back on the previous year. I challenge all of us to spend time to reflect on the positive growth and positive things we have helped create or were fortunate enough to witness in the year 2019.
Below are a list of five ways we can positively reflect on the closing year:
- Think of one thing you challenged yourself with and overcame this year.
- Think of something you learned about yourself that surprised you.
- Celebrate a relationship you made with someone or something.
- Name something you feel you adapted to or accomplished.
- How did you help or touch someone else in a positive way.
These are just examples of the way we can change the language we use to positively reflect on the year. In this way we are able to build ourselves up and show self-love. It is important to make time to reflect on the positive things that have happened, that you have attributed to and that you have helped create. In this way, it helps reframe our thoughts and in turn our feelings about the accomplishments and milestones we saw in the years past.
Natasha Griffin is a Marriage and Family Trainee. She is supervised by Danielle Fitch, LMFT #94672.
Mental Health