10 Ways to Beat the After-Christmas Blues

Christmas is an emotional storm, and next comesoutside more, sit in the sunlight in your house for
Valentine's, so take a break. Move from emotionhalf an hour a day.
to thinking and action.6. Hunker down and last it out - read good books,
1. Start planning a Valentine's Party, or Martincurl up by the fire, sleep, don't fight it. It's a
Luther King Party. If you were running a day latehibernating time anyway. Get massages. Take
and a dollar behind for Christmas, learn from it.naps.
Budget and start sooner, but have the fun of7. Start a new project at work - it will give
another "party" on the horizon. NB: Planning is aeveryone a lift. Focus on thinking, not feeling.
cerebral activity, i.e., neocortex.8. Kickstart your brain by taking a new course. If
2. Get active - add an extra hour to your dailyyou're an extravert, go to community ed classes.
workout. This creates physical energy, clears theIf you're an introvert, enjoy yourself online and
mind, and flushes out toxic emotions.take teleclasses or get a Teaching Company
3. Clean your house till it shines, and do the workcourse ( for a special treat. You can listen to the
yourself. This is a tradition for New Year's intapes in the car, or while jogging.
many cultures, symbolic of getting rid of bad stuff9. Change your diet dramatically. Do a juice fast,
and making room for new stuff. Buy a specialor something very cleansing and healthy within
floor cleaning product. Sweep toward the doors,the constraints of your physical condition. Get that
or vacuum, then remove the bag and carry it outsugar and alcohol out of your system and replace
to the garbage. Out! Out! Clean the furniture withit with vitamins and minerals. Don't forget your
something like Murphy's oil, a soap andvitamin C and a good neutraceutical like
water-based product, not oil. Then clean the floorsDefenseBuilder or Get Well Soon Dietary
with the special cleaning product.Supplement from . you must keep your immune
4. Clean the yard, shovel away dirty snow, cleansystem up, considering bird flu as well. If you live
the gutters, wash the windows, rake the leaves.in Texas, this is peak allergy time. Watch your
It will be time to plant the daffodils and prune thediet - it's cumulative - the pollen PLUS what you
roses before you know it.eat. Get you're A/C ducts cleaned.
5. Take a vacation. Go somewhere warm like a10. Get rid of "stuff." Grab a garbage bag and fill it
cruise to the Caribbean. The sun will do wonderswith stuff. Put the bags in the garage or barn.
for an attitude adjustment, as well as SADThen clean the garage or barn, and get rid of it all.
(Seasonal Affective Disorder). At home, get(Nice to donate to charity of course).