After waiting all year for the holidays to arrive, it can be hard to watch them fade away. Instead of marking your calendar for when you can break out those winter decorations again, try these quick tips to start 2016 with blazing fireworks.
Alter Your Attitude
If you’re sad about the holidays and think there’s nothing to look forward to until then, you’ll create your own destiny. You’ll be irked when someone elbows you on the subway, you’ll roll your eyes when you have to stand for your entire commute, and you’ll hate your co-worker for sending that last minute report when you were finally ready to go home. But, if you walk out of the door and determine to have an amazing day, you may laugh off that elbow in the ribs, dance to some music while you stand during your commute, and tell your co-worker you were just headed out and that you’ll follow up first thing tomorrow. See how that works? Alter your attitude, alter your reaction, and you’ll ultimately alter your path.
Boardwalk populated with Sandy Sweepers post Hurricaine Sandy
Plan Fun Activities
Quit staring at the blank pages in January and fill them up with plans that’ll help the month fly by. Plan a movie night or book a limo for a night out on the town with some friends, sign up for a class you’ve always wanted to take, or visit that café you continuously pass by and have been longing to check out. Instead of trudging through the beginning of this year, mark it as an opportunity to explore new hobbies or reconnect with someone you haven’t spoken to in a while. This ties with altering your attitude: if you have events to look forward to, you’ll be excited to show up each day and be present instead of counting down until December.
Take Care of Your Health
During the holidays, we tend to eat foods laden with sugar and let our exercise routine take a hiatus. Skip the guilt and simply use this time to get back to health and back to yourself. Go for a walk outside, get back into your gym routine, or get your sleep schedule back on track if you traveled outside of your normal time zone. Put some bright green vegetables into your body and go for a 20 minute bike cruise. Not only will you feel better physically (thanks, endorphins!), but you’ll mentally set yourself up for a successful, strong 2016.
Boardwalk populated with Sandy Sweepers post Hurricaine Sandy
Pamper Yourself
The holidays can be a stressful time, so use January as a fresh start to relax and unwind. Treat yourself to a massage, facial, or a mani-pedi. Go for a long relaxing walk in a nearby park or sign up for a fancy spinning or yoga class. Use the steam room at a spa or your gym, or take 15 minutes to disconnect from the world and meditate. Clear your head and find your center so that you can begin 2016 with clear intentions and a positive mindset. If you’re more of a creative type, set aside some time for you to immerse yourself in your art, whether that means oil painting or sitting down to write a poem.
Go Outside or Turn On the Lights
When you’re feeling down or depressed, it’s always best to go outside and soak up some vitamin D, but it’s tricky during the winter when the sun disappears in some areas. Still, going outside for a brisk walk in a park or on a hiking trail can help boost your mood. Getting some fresh air and smelling the scent of pinewood can help lift your spirits. Or, if it’s too cold outside or you live in an urban area, stay inside and open the blinds and turn on all of the lights in your place. Take out a great book or dust off an old cookbook and try a new recipe to fill your home will the delectable scents of a home cooked meal.
Boardwalk populated with Sandy Sweepers post Hurricaine Sandy
De-clutter Your Life
There’s nothing worse than arriving home to see dirty dishes in the sink and a tornado of papers and clothing invading your living room. Take this time to create a fresh start. Grab a couple of trash bags and throw away all of your garbage. Fold the clothes that are still clean and put them away or, if they’re dirty, toss them in your laundry bin. Easy enough, right?
Now, go through your closet. Put all of the clothing that you no longer wear into two piles. In the first pile, put ripped, stained, or torn items, and recycle them. In the second pile, put clean, lightly used, wearable items and donate them to a thrift store nearby. Not only will you be creating space in your life, but you’ll be giving them to someone who truly needs them – it’s a win-win! Remember: lasting results are created by incremental changes over time. So if you still can't seem to find your car keys under the rubble, don't worry! Take a limo to work and make it your goal to find them when you get home that evening.
Boardwalk populated with Sandy Sweepers post Hurricaine Sandy
Volunteer
The holidays often means surrounding ourselves with people we love and gaining a plethora of human connection all at once. Going back to our regular lives, we sometimes have to leave those people behind, plus we get so caught up in everyday life minutia that we forget how fortunate we are. Volunteering allows us to rekindle that gratitude and connect with people from all walks of life. Choose a cause that’s close to your heart and try and schedule a regular time slot to donate your time this year. Doing good work makes you feel good, but more importantly, you’ll be making a difference in other people’s lives, and you’ll probably find they’ll make a difference in your life too.
Book a Vacation
When all else fails, give yourself something else to look forward to. You have ten vacation days, right? Why not spend them in Bali? Or maybe you’ve been meaning to set aside some time to visit your best friend in her new apartment? If you already unbearably miss your family, book a quick trip home to visit them over the summer. Either way, planning the trip and marking it on your calendar will give the dreary, gray weather that extra silver lining you’ve been seeking. Need a ride to the airport? Book it in advance and you’ll be gliding away from your holiday woes faster than you can say jingle bells.