January is known as the month of new beginnings. The stores fill with exercise equipment hoping to entice you into an impulse purchase after the indulgent holidays. January is also known as the most depressing month! Yikes! Apparently, something about the holiday being over, bills coming due, and the cold tends to take a toll on people. Here are 3 doable ideas and a sweet story to change your mindset.
Get up and move! A BRISK 10 minute walk should do the trick. The momentum of just putting your capable body into motion helps change your frame of mind. Sitting and sulking doesn’t truly bring relief, but moving with purpose can bring new perspective. Get going! Grab a friend and make it fun!
Do something kind for someone else! Bring your co-worker their favorite drink! Send a text to point out the goodness in three other people! You probably have an idea in mind already! Do it! Bringing joy to someone else ricochets happiness around, and you can’t help but get a dose! Always act on your generous thoughts, doing so spreads goodness and beautifully shines back on you! Be the person who spreads goodness today! (Skip ahead to a cherished story of random kindness that made a difference to me!)
Play your favorite music! Music has a way of changing the mood. Just think of a movie soundtrack that gives that spooky, adventurous or romantic feel. Music is powerful. Play something that will lift you and the people around you. Try Andy Grammer, Pentatonix, Vocal Point, Lauren Daigle or amazing Mozart! So many options! Dance around the room if you dare! Even if you are bound to a hospital bed, you can be mentally transported by good music! (And truthfully, I hope you are not in a hospital bed!)
Okay, you made it…here is the story:
Years ago, I had just gotten back into town with my two young kiddos when someone called and asked if she could come over. I was a bit dismayed, because my house was a mess. However, I had intentionally decided to play with my kids after the long car trip instead of organizing the disarray. I took a deep breath and told her she was welcome to come over, but my house was a disaster. I simply stated, “My kids and I are taking the day off!” She showed up to my house about two hours later, with a basket full of a charming dinner she had made for my family! She even included ice cream for dessert! She joyfully said, “I figured, if you were taking the day off, I didn’t want you to have to make dinner.”
I was stunned and so touched by her kindness! I must have floated the rest of the day! That kind act was incredibly powerful in my life. It was unexpected and truly pure love. Over the next several weeks I looked and was able to do similar kind acts for at least 4 or 5 other people. I really wanted others to also have that deep feeling of being seen and loved. She started a great chain of events!
Happy New Year to you! In this January, if you find yourself struggling for a few moments or maybe days, get up and go for a walk! Dismiss gloomy thoughts and emotions that don’t serve you. Make a dinner for someone with young kids, or someone with no kids at all. Send out a kind compliment by text, or bring some fresh flowers to someone who can use a boost, and in the very least, jam out to some amazing tunes! February is on it’s way.
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