Monday, 12/30/19: Talking about the last Monday of the decade and fighting post-holiday blues
Happy Monday!
It’s the last Monday of 2019! I hope you all had a great week celebrating the holidays with loved ones. Can’t believe we will begin a new decade on Wednesday. I’m so excited!
I am back to work and my normal routine today and am already missing the holiday season. If you are feeling the same, keep on reading. My hope is that you find something below that inspires a positive thought and makes you feel a little bit better. Let’s dive in!
Three Steps to a Happier Monday
Each newsletter starts with three prompts to inspire gratitude and simple intention setting. Take a moment and jot down answers to these three questions. To give an example, I share my answers below.
Step 1: What are three things I appreciated from the weekend?
Step 2: What is one thing I can be excited about today?
Step 3: What is my intention for this week?
GRATITUDE: From my weekend, I am thankful for all the time I was able to spend with my family this past week, an easy travel day yesterday and a perfect Friday afternoon lunch with friends from high school.
TODAY: I am most excited about how quiet it will be in the office so that I can just dive in and get caught up after being out.
INTENTION: My intention for this week is to express a feeling of gratitude whenever I feel a pang of sadness about the holiday season being over.Okay, your turn! And if you want to share your three steps, I am all ears. 🙂
Lesson of the Week: The Post-Holiday Blues
It’s the last Monday of the decade!! This is huge! I was so excited about today’s newsletter that I actually had two different ideas for what to write about.
Like all other newsletters, both topics focused on helping you pursue a happier Monday. And to be timely, each idea also incorporated a New Year’s twist. Because it’s not just any Monday. It’s the last Monday of 2019!
But as today got closer, I felt called to write about something different. Something not inherently happy. Something I myself was currently struggling with.
How do I overcome the post-holiday blues?
It’s my first full day back in Chicago after spending a glorious 10 days indulging myself with family and friends in Orlando. My annual trip home for Christmas is something I look forward to all year. I hoard most of vacation days to maximize my time for this trip, allowing myself to be home long enough to unpack my suitcase and settle into a new, relaxing routine. It’s wonderful.
I’ve been living in Chicago for three and a half years now and know that I’m not the type to get homesick. But every year I question that as I sit on the flight back to Chicago and mourn the fact that my favorite trip is over.
You can relate, right? Maybe your trigger is when your visitors pack up and leave or when you put away the decorations or that first day back to work. It’s hard to embrace the fact that the joyful holiday season, and all the gatherings, treats, presents and time off work/school, is over.
So today, I’m sharing a list of five simple things that focus on overcoming the post-holiday blues. The below includes all things I plan to do myself to get out of this sad headspace. My hope is that one of them helps you too. Read on to learn more!
- Make a list of your holiday highlights, display it somewhere and say a “thank you” when you see it.
- Declutter something.
- Move your body for 30 minutes.
- Figure out New Year’s Eve plans that feel energizing to you.
- Find something little to be excited about each day.
1 – Even if it’s just for a moment, expressing a feeling of gratitude helps overcome a feeling of sadness. So, make a list of the top five memories from this season and display it somewhere prominent (on your fridge, desk at work, background on your phone, etc.). Whenever you see the list, say a quick “thank you” for the memories.
2 – Physical clutter is mental clutter. Try redirecting the energy you are expending on being sad to unpacking your suitcase, getting your email inbox to zero, putting away your decorations or picking one area of your home to declutter. Whenever I am feeling down, it helps me to physically do something that produces a reward. You’ll be amazed by the lift in your mood when you receive the reward of a clean and organized setting.
3 – You don’t need me to tell you that movement also lifts your mood. Find a way to move your body for 30 minutes. Go for a walk outside or on the treadmill while listening to a podcast. Sign up for a fun workout class for New Year’s Eve day. Find a way to move your body in a way that feels good to you.
4 – Speaking of New Year’s Eve, decide on a NYE plan that sounds best TO YOU. Excited about a party with friends to ring in the new decade? Awesome. Want to stay in and watch the ball drop on your TV? Also awesome. Do whatever feels most energizing to you.
5 – Remember question two from the section above? Keep it going beyond Monday. Find a super simple way to treat yourself (a coffee in the morning, takeout for dinner, a new book, a TV show) every day.
In closing, I want you to know that it’s perfectly fine to feel those post-holiday blues. After all, your sad feelings are a testament to the fun times you had off work or because of seeing loved ones and participating in various holiday activities. Be thankful for the memories and rest assured that the holiday season will be back the same time next year.
And once you are ready to move on from those sad feelings, this list is here to help you. 🙂
On My Monday Radar – Best of 2019 Edition!
Changing up this section one more time today. Last week we focused on gifts and this week I couldn’t resist doing a “best of 2019 edition.” Read on to learn about my top five finds from 2019 as we get ready to close out the year.
- AirPods. Best purchase of 2019. Hands down. I will be the first to admit that I did not understand the hype and did not think I needed them. Now, if something were to happen to my AirPods tomorrow, I would instantly go out and purchase another pair. AirPods are the first headphones to not fall out when I run and it’s so nice to not think about headphone strings (especially in winter with scarves and coats!).
- Hair Dryer Brush. Second best purchase of 2019. This was such a fun surprise! It was an impulse purchase on Prime Day and now I haven’t used a regular hair dryer since July.
- City of Girls Book. My favorite book of 2019. Not only did I love learning about the New York City theater scene in the 1940s, but I also loved how the plot (and characters) continued to evolve and change. I was intrigued until the very end.
- Bad on Paper Podcast. I listened to my first Bad on Paper podcast episode in 2019 and quickly added it to my weekly podcast rotation. Not only have I received great book recommendations, but I also love hearing the hosts (two thirty-something best friends) and guests talk about everything from careers to online dating and more.
- Solid Verbal Podcast. You might not know this about me, but I am a big college football fan. Because of being raised in a college football family (Go PSU!) and attending a college with a big football program (Go Gators!), I am accustomed to hearing and participating in conversations about the college football scene. Now living in Chicago, I needed to find a way to fill the void and the Solid Verbal podcast provided the dialogue to do just that. Plus, I’ve gained a fair amount of knowledge about Big Ten teams, which make for great conversation starters with Chicago co-workers!
That’s all for today! I hope you found something in today’s newsletter that sparked motivation, made you smile or inspired a positive Monday thought. Don’t underestimate the power of starting small… a fulfilling week starts with just one fulfilling day. You’ve got this!
Let’s make it a great Monday!
Megan
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