Staffordshire counsellor shares her top tips for managing the January Blues
Qualified Registered Counsellor Sheila McMahon reflects on this time of year and what we can do to help ourselves.
It’s no surprise we feel the Blues in January when we’ve had such a build-up to Christmas. Most people have been on autopilot, so the come down can be tough!
Luckily, there are lots of things that we can do to look after ourselves.
Be your own best friend
Most people will say they ‘treat others the way they would like to be treated’. I encourage you to ask yourself, if you treat yourself the way you would like to be treated? We often want a certain behaviour, like to be treated fairly, but sometimes we don’t model this behaviour ourselves.
This is often because we put everyone else’s needs before our own – sound familiar? Be mindful of how you are treating yourself first. When it comes to putting other people before you, it doesn’t have to be either/or it can be equal. In different situations, ask yourself ‘Am I being fair to myself? If I were my own best friend, what might I do differently?” and then do it!
Connect with nature
We know it’s cold and dark outside. However, it’s still important to get out when you can. Treat yourself to a winter coat, wrap up, and connect with nature. If you have a friend who is struggling with the January Blues, you can encourage them to join you for a walk, or any other activity that gets you connecting and moving.
Recognise if you need support
It’s one thing to have the January Blues, but if you find yourself feeling depressed for a long period of time, then you may be at risk of depression. You can contact your GP for advice or speak with someone who is a good listener.
It’s ok not to be ok
Remember it’s ok not to be ok. Allow yourself to have down days but check in on yourself that you are not living there.
Again, my main advice is to be your own best friend.
For further help
If you are interested in improving your self-care, Sheila has written a self-help book entitled The Power of Knowing You, which is available at https://mindmanagementforyou.com/ and on Amazon here.
Sheila, who is based in Staffordshire, also has a podcast series called ‘Counsellor Convos’ with guest speakers covering a host of different topics that’s available on her YouTube Channel at youtube.com/c/SheilasYouTubeChannel where you can subscribe for free and be part of her mental wealth community. Counsellor Convos is also available on Apple and Spotify podcasts.
