Beating the New Year blues 💪📅

The start of the New Year can be tough with pressures, expectations and those dastardly resolutions. It might be "new year, new me" for some people, but life can be unpredictable and overwhelming when you're chronically ill, neurodivergent and/or disabled. It can be hard to make changes to your life. Whether you're trapped in the loop of comparing your life to others, struggling with the pressure of your own and others' unrealistic expectations, or feeling overwhelmed with setting resolutions, I've got some helpful tips to beating the New Year blues and brightening up your 2025!

1️⃣ Break the Self-Comparison Spiral
First off, don't be disheartened or angry at yourself. It's easy to get stuck in the loop of comparing your life to other people's. Try to notice when your mind drifts into these thoughts and what you're doing when it does, see if there's a pattern. For example, are you self-comparison spiralling after scrolling through Facebook? Then maybe take a break from that platform. Keep noticing these thoughts; it'll get easier with practice. Being aware is the first step to change.

2️⃣ Cut Down on Self-Imposed Stress
Don't blame yourself; we all struggle with putting pressure on ourselves from time to time. Try to recognise when you’re setting unrealistic expectations for yourself. Are they attainable? If not, don’t be afraid to adjust them. Treat yourself with kindness; it’s easy to be harsh with yourself. Self-compassion is tough but absolutely worth it.

3️⃣ Distance Yourself from Other People’s Expectations
Are you struggling with pressure from friends and family? It’s incredibly hard when the people we love don’t seem to understand that we’re doing our best. Doing your best can look so different to what other people expect, but it doesn’t make your hard work any less valid. Try to give yourself some space from them, if you can. Please remember to be gentle with yourself.

4️⃣ Re-evaluate Your Resolutions
Figuring out realistic resolutions can be so tricky. It’s easy to stumble into the trap of setting far too many resolutions and making your goals almost impossible to achieve (I know I’m guilty of it). First off, limit your resolutions. You don’t need to push yourself past your capacity for the sake of silly goals. Are your resolutions actually achievable? If not, it’s time to reassess them. Or even ditch the resolutions all together. You deserve better than to start the year off feeling overwhelmed.

5️⃣ Treat yourself with kindness
This time of year is tough. It’s easy to get caught up in other people’s achievements and feel exhausted by your own and other people’s pressures and expectations. Be gentle with yourself, schedule in some time to relax and do something that brings you joy. Remember that everyone’s accomplishments look different and your milestones are worth celebrating, no matter how small they may seem.

Please remember that you are more than enough and you are doing more than enough. You can always find support within the Spoony community; we understand the New Year blues all too well. You’re not alone in this ❤️