Battling the Post-Holiday Blues

Happy New Year!

I don’t know about you, but I feel a little blah after all the hustle and bustle and warm fuzzies from giving and receiving over the holiday season. Coupled with the short hours of daylight, cold weather, icy roads, and other depressing news on TV, I find it hard to get motivated. And I’m not alone. Even the cats are protesting at home, staring at the space where our tree resided in all her dazzling glory and pine scent (with a fun, hidden water bowl), before being unceremoniously tossed outside.

I’m grateful that I don’t have Seasonal Affective Disorder, more common in Northern parts of the United States where the daylight hours are short this time of year, but just a run of the mill case of the post-holiday blues. For those of us whose lives are centered around goals and whose work is actually outcome measurement, these winter months can make it hard to practice what we preach.

In transferring some files today, I ran across a folder filled with testimonial quotes from student users that put a smile on my face. They are my warm fuzzy for the day, and I thought I’d share them with you:

“I really enjoyed the weekly feedback and support, and it made a difference in my goal attainment.”

“I really enjoyed setting personal wellness goals, especially during a stressful time, it made me take time for myself but also didn’t make me feel guilty for doing so since it was for school.”

“I have continued working on my sustained goals of meal prepping and exercising…It has now become more of a routine to look up recipes, get healthier groceries, and make food throughout the week.”

“I really enjoyed the weekly feedback and support, and it made a difference in my goal attainment.”

“It isn’t an all or nothing approach to reaching the goal, so even if you improve just one level you feel better than being stuck at baseline or being told that you failed…I like this goal scaling system.”

I hope you have your own warm fuzzies to brighten these winter months. Take time to reflect on your achievements and the impact your work has on the lives of others. Goals matter!