I just hit the Wall!
The days have shortened and the nights have lengthened. I am about to hibernate with books and net flicks. The colder weather and slower pace turn my attention inwards and I reflect on the year that has passed and the year to come. And you know what I can’t get off the couch! I’m exhausted!! I’m not crushing it! I’m not killing it. My super powers just hit Kryptonite. I am in a tail spin!!!
Sound about right? Okay don’t panic you have a couple things going on; holiday hangover, not enough sun and the denial of the season. Let’s take apart what I just said. I love holidays. I can still eak out a tear during “it’s a Wonderful Life” and I know all the songs in “Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer.” And somewhere in the back of my mind I still envision that impossible picture of a family that gets me and gets along. And then I take the train home (sigh). It never seems to work out like a Norman Rockwell painting. You set up a fantasy and it can crash you down. Your family is what it is, the good, the bad and the ugly. Check over blown expectations at the door. You can enjoy the holidays but tone down the Winter Wonderland you may still have to deal with Drunk Uncle at the table. Figure out strategies to get through the most difficult parts. And remember hyperbole always leads to disappointment.
Lack of sun can have a strong affect. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that’s related to changes in seasons it will begin and end at about the same times every year just like the seasons do. It often starts in the fall and continues into the winter. It makes you feel listless, fatigued and often unfocused. Your moods may also go up and down. The problem is when you make choices and decisions when you feel this way they may not be the best choices and then you may create some predicaments for yourself
Treatment for SAD may include light therapy (phototherapy), psychotherapy and medications. Don’t brush off that yearly feeling as simply a case of the “winter blues” or a seasonal funk that you have to tough out on your own. Take steps to keep your mood and motivation steady throughout the year.
Let’s say it’s not that bad but you still don’t want to get off the couch. Respect the season and the fact that your body is in it. It truly is a hibernation period. If you don’t know how to do it learn about resting. Resting is not just sleep. It is purposefully slowing down, reflecting and turning inward. Meditate, sleep, and read. Slow the rhythm. This is a time to rest and rejuvenate. Try allowing yourself to collapse into a comfy place. When spring comes there will be a reawakening. Now is the time to put into place habits that are healthy. Things are moving slowly, now is a good time to ask yourself is there anything I wanted to add or change. Start small and see how long you can sustain the change. Give yourself permission not to be a Superhero just for a month or two