By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills
As we bid farewell to the holiday season, we treasure cherished memories, sweet experiences, laughter, an unexpected gift, and some moments best forgotten. Many of us feel a sense of melancholy, the anticipation of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day are replaced by the ho-hum of the months ahead. The post-holiday blues are depressing but take heart!
Here are 5 ways to put up a shield of defense:
- Connect with Loved Ones
Open your calendar and schedule getting together with loved ones throughout the year. Take the initiative to organize those special moments, and your endeavors will be appreciated. The love-meter in your heart will thank you.
- Create a Gratitude Journal
Fight those blues by establishing a gratitude journal. Documenting special moments and revisiting the past is a prescription for a happy soul. Years ago, I decided to initiate a gratitude journal into my daily routine, and I’ve never regretted it. Even when a day isn’t good, we can find something that shows our gratitude for God’s provision and purpose for our lives.
- Volunteer and Give Back
Have you ever heard the best way to feel good about yourself is to do something for others? Volunteering for church, community, and hospital needs are just a few of the ways to give back—with a smile.
- Learn a New Skill or Hobby
This excites me just typing the idea. I love to cook and garden, so I’m always looking for new challenges in those areas. Creative writing, various art endeavors, crafts, music, reading a new genre of literature, and the list goes on. You’ll find your energy restored, and your heart filled with happiness.
- Prioritize your Spiritual Life
The most important relationship in our lives is the one established with God. By beginning each day involved in Scripture and focused prayer, we are giving God our priority. When we seek Him wholeheartedly, He blesses us with peace and joy.
By incorporating one or more of these strategies, we overcome the post-holiday blues. Consider other defenses such as deliberate rest and relaxation times, mini vacations, developing a hospitality calendar to include new people, consciously enjoying each season of the year, and more.
What is one way you plan to experience the adventure of every day in 2024?
