Rise & Grind - Fighting The January Blues
January can be a really tough month. The joy and excitement of the holidays are over, the weather is gloomy & the days are short. We are here to help. As experienced January dreaders, we have some solutions to make January a little less terrible.
Today, on Rise & Grind, some things to consider when feeling empty, our January Blues Shopping Guide, & a mood boosting smoothie recipe that will transport you straight to a tropical beach (we wish!).
Mel Robbins is an American TV host, author, life coach and motivational speaker. She is known for her popular Tedx Talk "How To Stop Screwing Yourself Over" and her book, The 5 Second Rule. We recommend following her on social media, where she posted the following mega insightful words:
This felt like a light bulb moment while aimlessly scrolling through Instagram posts. Ask yourself what feels empty? What areas in your life are currently lacking? How can you fill those areas to become more balanced? (Pro tip: Add this to your planner to revisit at the beginning of each month to make sure you stay centered, it will probably shift throughout the year.)
As seasoned pros when it comes to fighting the January blues, we have a few tricks up our sleeves. We've gathered a few of our tried & true items that can help beat the blues.
1. Essential oils & aromatherapy are a great proven mood booster. This is our favorite diffuser that also acts like a lamp or nightlight. We recommend orange or lemon when needing an instant boost and lavender or chamomile to come down from high stress or anxiety.
2. Sometimes doodling, brain-dumping or journaling is the best therapy. We recently discovered the joy of bullet journaling and love this mint version.
3. Puzzles have become a form of therapy. When social media, the internet or TV become too overwhelming we crave the simplicity of a puzzle. Try dedicating a table in your home and always have a puzzle going. This makes it easy to break away from stress without feeling the overwhelming commitment of starting something new. We loved this blue color study.
4. Getting down and dirty may be just what you need to scrub away the blues. According to The Cleaning Collective, cleaning can greatly improve your mental health. Releasing endorphins, improving focus, mental clarity and even better sleep are a few things they mention. A nice smelling house doesn't hurt either. These are our current favorite cleaning products.
5. You know those things that keep popping up on your Instagram ads? This is one we've been seeing a lot lately (Not sure what that says about us...). The Push Pop Bubble Fidget Toy gives the same pleasure as popping bubble wrap. I know you know what we're talking about. This "toy" is used in therapy for Autism, Sensory Disorders, special needs, as well as for stress and anxiety.
6. It's not exactly the kind of weather outside inspiring us to get our jog on, so we're opting to get our endorphins on this foldable exercise bike instead, while catching up on our latest Netflix binge (and not breaking the bank).
7. We love the all vegan, natural skin/hair/body brand, Aveda and their Cooling Balancing Oil Concentrate. This must-have purse-sized peppermint oil is great to massage into sore muscles, achey temples or anywhere that needs a calming and cooling effect. (Pro-tip: We've read using a dab under your face mask keeps your face from sweating or feeling claustrophobic, if this has been a problem for you!)
8. There is nothing like a good bath to escape reality. Pure Magnesium in flake form is great for stress relief, sore muscles, improving circulation, headaches, joint pain, cramps and more, outpreforming epsom salt.
9. We couldn't resist these icy light blue Tuinyo Wireless Bluetooth Headphones. The power of music is an unbelievable resource for fitting winter depression.
10. We have found great joy and comfort in our plant collection. From the simple act of tending to something daily or weekly to the delight (and sometimes surprise) of keeping them alive, we recommend this indoor activity this month. We love these adorable ceramic flower pots to add some calming color to your indoor space.
11. Just say no to underwires this month. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life. We are obsessed with the bra/cami mash ups right now, like the Everton Bra-Cami.
12. We could talk about Noise Machines all day, the real game changer of 2020. We love the Yogasleep Dohm for its soothing natural sound from a real fan inside, no sound loop like other models. Easily distracted at night? Hard time falling asleep? Mind racing about what you said to your co-worker two weeks ago? This will change your life.
You may be skeptical, but we feel pretty confident that this quick and easy recipe with not only taste delicious, put paired with some Hawaiian music and a space heater, will transport you somewhere tropical.
We hope you find some hope and joy in this gloomy January fog. Remember to talk to someone if you're really feeling down and ask for help. We are all in this together. ❤️ Cheers to an almost February!