During January it’s quite common to feel a bit down in the dumps. If you also suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) then this time of year can be very glum indeed. I’ve often suffered from SAD at this time of year but have been making it my mission this January to come up with a plan to feel a bit more positive about things. This is what my plan looks like:
1. Don’t take on too much extra work – I’ve temporarily put my upholstery work on hold during January to enable me to focus on getting my Winter yoga courses up and running.
2. Plan some nice things to look forward to – I’ve used up airmiles I’ve been saving up over the last couple of years to book a flight to go to Hong Kong in May to visit one of my best friends who moved out there and now I can’t wait. I’ve got some guidebooks and am planning the trip.
3. Set yourself a challenging new goal – I’ve agreed to run a 10k race with my sister and cousin in Leicester in April this year. I currently can comfortably jog around 3 miles but often don’t go further for fear of injuring my back. I’m going to work up to increasing the mileage over the next few months gradually and will see if anyone wants to join me along the way 😊
4. Take up a new hobby or interest – I’ve been working on some textile designs over the last year and am going to do further work to progress these in 2018. I’m also going to do a weaving course in late January to learn a new skill that will compliment my upholstery and textile design ambitions.
5. Arrange to see my friends – as much as I don’t always l like going out and being sociable at this time of year, it’s important try to make the effort and arrange to see those friends who you know will cheer you up.
And in addition to the above I’ll continue with my daily yoga and meditation practice and hopefully this January will feel bright. I hope the above steps will either inspire you to do something similar or work on your own plan to brighten up your January. I know that it takes effort and commitment to overcome the blues.