How to Stop Resolving and Start Doing:  Six Steps to Banish the Post-Holiday Blues and Make the Most Out of Your New Year Post-holiday blues. I've got them! Anyone else? The negativity and model after model of name-calling and visceral hatred surrounding our political discourse are not helping one bit. Experts would tell me to turn off the news for starters.   However, given what I do for a living and where my passions lie, getting all the news I can is necessary if I am going to have insight into the landscape in which my clients are operating and the latest research on the best ways to support them. Luckily, over the holidays, I made plenty of time for family, ski-slopes, gatherings of friends and celebrating all that is good in the world. Having my family together, largely joyful and relaxed, was the greatest holiday gift I could ever imagine. And now, it's over.  I remember telling my boys when they were younger and crying because they didn't want a  good play session with a friend to end, that they should be grateful the time had been so good instead of sad because it was over. What a load of crap. Right?!? I mean, yes, we want to be grateful. But not sad it's over? Come on, of course we are. Or, maybe we are sad because the holidays weren't all they are cracked up to be. Unmet expectations are tough. That Dickensonian ideal family gathered around the fire isn't reality for many of us. And now; re-entry into the 'real' world hits us. Holidays are over, time to get back to work. It's cold outside and spring break seems a long, long way off. So what's a longing-to-be-positive person to do? Steps, take some steps: 1. Own those blues. Ignoring or minimizing our feelings can make them seem more frightening and insurmountable. Rekha Shrivastava, of the Unity Health System in Rochester NY, says, "The result of this kind of suppression is often anxiety, phobias, depression and restlessness." Her advice is to learn how to identify and express your feelings. Once you put words to your feelings, share them. Please, say it out-loud. Let someone else know how you are feeling. You may even help them deal with their own feelings, which is such a gift. 2. Simplify your goals. How many of us have already dropped the resolution ball? You are not alone. Only about 8% of people who make New Year's Resolutions stick with them. Try this instead:  Think about what you want to achieve and make a to-do list that will get you there. Start with the day you are in. What can you do today that will move you closer to your goal? Write it down and pat yourself on the back when you cross it off.  3. If your holiday schedule had you overlooking your support-group community, go back to your meetings or group that will help you with addictions that might have been activated during the holidays. With the stress of Christmas and increased party attendance, it is common for people to start drinking again or eat foods they know they are sensitive to. The addiction hill is much less daunting a climb with your crew beside you. Precisely the reason we start the Resolution Challenge mid-January! 4. Assess the damage excessive holiday shopping did to your bank account and establish a new savings plan. Regaining a sense of financial control can boost your mental health and alleviate stress. If necessary, seek the assistance of a financial counselor or money manager. 5. Join a new health club or hire a trainer to get back in shape. If you gained a few pounds over the holidays, embrace now as the time to take those pounds off. Gym scene not for you? Get out and walk daily or walk up and down the stairs of your apartment house or office building. Exercise, even just 20 minutes several times per week, is one of the simplest ways to improve your mood and reduce anxiety. Find a crew to support you on the journey. A friend, co-worker or family member makes a wonderful accountability buddy. If you are a member of the Taylored Fitness Family, then you know all about this. You've got your personal trainer and your accountability buddy in your pocket.  6. If possible, plan a trip for January or February, and go to a place you haven’t yet visited. A change of environment does wonders for your mood and forces your brain to change. Just having to deal with new places can activate different parts of our brains, and a change in scenery (or place) elevates mood. I'm not suggesting we repeat the holiday over-spending we are already rebounding from by running off on a whirlwind round-the-world extravaganza. Get on Hopper.com and search a city where a friend has a couch you can surf. Pick a city you've never been to within a gas tank's drive, book a VRBO and start exploring. Search out a park, museum or neighborhood you've never been to and explore close to home.  5. Make time for creativity in the new year. Perhaps you would like to start that journal or diary you have been thinking about. What about some art or pottery classes? Creativity stimulates new pathways in the brain and can elevate moods. 6. Crank those tunes! Music can stimulate the senses and lift your spirits. Neuroscientists such as Daniel J. Levitin continue to find that music enhances certain pathways in the brain that are essential to cognitive and emotional health. Dr. Levitin’s 2006 book, This Is Your Brain on Music, describes why we need music in our lives and why music is not just an incidental amusement for humankind.  Remember, for the same reasons simplifying your goals into to-do lists works, choosing just one thing on which to focus your energy and attention works too. Choose one thing, practice it daily and share your victory with your crew.  2017 is here to stay for the next 350 days and those days are ours to make the most of. One step at a time. Wishing you wellness, Erika