As an ADHD coach I have been noticing something up (well actually down) with my clients that I thought was just particular to me, the February Blahs!
It seems like we all get a little down in February. The holidays are over, the newness of the new year is over, the weather is still cold and spring seems far away. A lot of my clients who were moving forward seem to take a step back around this time or are a little stagnant. I know that February gets me down. I start complaining more, my family says “remember, its February,” and though annoyed, I go “Oh yes, that’s it.”
So how do we not get the February Blahs, or more accurately, how do we manage the February Blahs. First off, keep reminding yourself that it is a short month. The suffering will be over soon. Next, examine if there is something(s) in particular that is/are getting you down like an uncompleted project nagging at you. Has Valentine’s Day not lived up to your expectation or made you feel lonely? Did you get yourself in debt during the holidays and now your stressed about money? Are you worried about taxes? Explore your inner self talk and see if there is something specific that is dragging you down. If so confront that self talk.
If you find that your interior self is silent but you are still feeling blah, this could simply be a down time of year for you. It is for me and I have never understood why. I do have SAD, Seasonal Affective Disorder, so I try to get as much sunlight I can. When I remember!
Not to sound trite but this is a time I try to remember what I call “all the bonuses” in my life. Things that I feel incredibly lucky about. Things I believe are just luck of the draw that are in my life. Things I didn’t have to work for but are just fact maybe because of the family I was born too or maybe because I made the right friend at the right time. Those type of things. Things I am grateful for when I remember to be.
Then I think about the things I have accomplished because of who I am. And everybody has something, just being present in the moment is something. We all make a difference by simply choosing to participate in the world around us.
Sometimes when I can keep these things in mind, revisit them over and over until they sink in, I am able to rise above my February blahs.