How to Mentally Prepare for the New Year
Yes, a new year is right around the corner, but there are a few days left in this one before moving on. It’s exciting to begin fresh, but it’s also equally as important to take a moment to reflect on both the big and small achievements made in the current year.
As I was pondering what would be my final blog topic for the year, I was listening to a content creator speak on an unfortunate incident with a television personality. She spoke on his tragic circumstances and extended it to the general public and that some people feel that they have nothing and no one. I’ve written previous posts on the topics of seasonal depression and holiday depression. (NOTE: Holiday depression is not an official clinical term. It’s just what I call it and think should have its own as it frequently has nothing to do with sun exposure and serotonin and everything to do with negative feelings produced by an approaching holiday. It’s not just Thanksgiving and Christmas that can bring the blues. It’s also seen around other holidays such as New Years and Valentine’s Day.)
While New Years is invigorating to many people, it can elicit a feeling of loss and regret in others. People struggling to cope with the holidays may not see a new year as a fresh beginning but, rather, a continuation of dread. Some may become depressed by the new year because it may bring an end to something good. For example, someone who has contractual employment may know their contract will not be renewed and be stressed to find a new job.
Another example was expressed to me years ago by a former coworker. She has been unfortunate in relationships. Throughout the year (and the previous year), she had watched and celebrated many of her friends get either engaged, married, or have children. During that time, she hadn’t had a single relationship and not from a lack of seeking one. Then, one day, she heard the proverb that the person one kisses at midnight on New Year’s Eve is the person who one will spend the year with. Well, this sent her spiraling. Sure, she’d heard this proverb before, but that year it struck differently for her. As she looked back on her life, she noted that she’d never kissed anyone at midnight and spent every New Year’s Eve alone. That year, she made it a priority to go out with the hopes that she would meet someone. She didn’t. and she was without a romantic relationship that year as well. Now, she views New Years as a reminder of being alone which she considers a type of failure. In fact, she now goes to bed early on New Year’s Eve, foregoing any type of celebration, because it makes her that sad.
As the content creator continued to talk, she encouraged listeners to reach out to family, friends, and loved ones during the holidays. She pointed out that just because a person smiles does not mean that person is happy. Many people who are depressed will put on a brave front around others. They aren’t seeking pity or attention and may not want others to be concerned for them. Much attention is given to depression and anxiety that occurs around Thanksgiving and Christmas, but there seems to be an assumption that this depression doesn’t extend past December 25th. There appears to be a conjecture that Christmas is the hump that once “conquered” is the final quest. But it isn’t. New Years can be equally as distressing for some. However, there are things that a person can do to help mentally prepare himself/herself for a new year.
Make a list of all accomplishments over the past year. It does not matter if those accomplishments seem insignificant. They count. Maybe a person did not get the work promotion that he/she wanted. However, that person may have been able save a hundred dollars a month from each paycheck. Maybe the person was unable to afford a trip to Paris or Rome but they were able to have a pleasant staycation. Maybe a student didn’t get straight As for the semester but made the honor roll anyway. Every accomplishment counts.Focus on the positives and not the negatives. It’s easy to get bogged down in all of the bad things in life. Think of the good that will follow into the new year. Perhaps a person’s house burned but the new year brings the prospect of a new home to fill with new memories. Maybe a long-term romantic relationship ended. This may allow the person more time to spend with family or reconnect with friends.Remember that setbacks are not permanent. Just because a person had a difficult year does not mean the new year will be as difficult.Choices make a difference. If a person knows for certain that the new year will hold a specific hardship for him/her, he/she can make a plan of how to cope with it before it happens. For example, if a person knows that he/she will likely have their home foreclosed, then he/she may begin downsizing and saving money to prepare for the move. Not all terrible events can be prevented, but many can be managed.Take notice of what one may have missed in the current year. For example, a person may have walked by a park every day at lunch and not given attention to its beauty. That ignored view may be something the person should list on his/her gratitude list. All the missed small things when considered may alter a person’s perspective and illustrate that the person had more blessings in his/her current year than he/she thought.Finally, close out the current year on a positive. The attitude going into a new year will help determine how the new year will be. However, it may be difficult to have a positive attitude about a new year when one is thinking negatively about the current year. Let the past say the past but appreciate it for the good times and the lessons learned even if they were hard ones.And that will conclude this post and my blogging for this year. It’s been a pleasure writing the Creole Bayou blog, and I look forward to continuing next year. I have plenty of new content planned. Thank you to everyone who has supported this blog and my writing. You are very much appreciated, and I wouldn’t be doing any of this if it weren’t for you.
Now, it’s your turn to sound off. What did you think? What is your take on the subject? Do you agree or disagree? Did you find this information helpful or informative? Did you learn anything new, or did it change your opinion? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section. Also, let me know if you would like me to cover more of these types of topics or dive deeper into this one. If you like this post, please click the like button and share it. Your feedback allows me to know the content that you want to read. If you’re not following me on Creole Bayou blog, what are you waiting for? There’s always room at the bayou.
Get ready. It’s almost time to hit the ice again. Future Goals Coming soon.
When a college hockey player needs the help of an attractive older attorney, he gets more than he bargained for when trying to sort out the troubles in his career. Falling in love was never part of either man’s plan, especially as Corrigan’s and Sacha’s lives should never have collided. Now they’re left questioning if they’re standing in the way of the other’s future goals, or if there’s room for redirection.
Preorder your copy at:
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3RjPYb9
Other booksellers: https://bit.ly/3CI8d5W
Missed the first four books in my hockey romance series? No frets.
Out of the Penalty Box (book #1), where it is one minute in the box or a lifetime out, is available at http://amzn.to/2Bhnngw. It also can be ordered on iTunes, Nook, or Kobo. For more links on where to purchase or to read the blurb, please visit http://bit.ly/2i9SqpH.
Defending the Net (book #2) can be ordered at https://amzn.to/2N7fj8q or www.books2read.com/defending. Crossing the line could cost the game.
Ice Gladiators (book #3) is the third book in my Locker Room Love series. When the gloves come off, the games begin. Available at https://amzn.to/2TGFsyD or www.books2read.com/icegladiators.
Penalty Kill (book #4) takes the ice again. Get a copy at https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p or https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p and let the pucker begin.
For more of my stories, shenanigans, giveaways, and more, check out my blog, Creole Bayou, www.genevivechambleeconnect.wordpress.com. New posts are made on Wednesdays, and everything is raw and unscathed. Climb on in a pirogue and join me on the bayou.
Author Bio
Genevive Chamblee resides in the bayou country where sweet tea and SEC football reign supreme. She is known for being witty (or so she thinks), getting lost anywhere beyond her front yard (the back is pushing it as she’s very geographically challenged), falling in love with shelter animals (and she adopts them), asking off-the-beaten-path questions that make one go “hmm”, and preparing home-cooked Creole meals that are as spicy as her writing. Genevive specializes in spinning steamy, romantic tales with humorous flair, diverse characters, and quirky views of love and human behavior. She also is not afraid to delve into darker romances as well.
