The month of December can feel hard. It’s cold (for those of us who live in the northeast), we have the after-Thanksgiving blues, it gets dark early, and the days seem so short. During this time it can feel really hard to stay motivated and engaged with friends. Often times people are heard saying “it’s winter anyway  so I am just going to hibernate” or “after the new year I will really start to get myself back on track”. It is very common for people to use big dates, such as holidays or the new year, as markers for start dates for change. But why wait? Now is just as good of a time as ever to stay motivated and on track with our goals. If you or your child can relate and are looking to stay motivated, here are four tips to help stay motivated through the “Holiday Stretch”:

1.     Make a schedule: Schedules are a great way to help hold ourselves accountable for the tasks that we have to do, and also, the things that we want to do. Schedules can help make tasks feel less overwhelming by writing out and prioritizing when different activities need to take place. The added benefit of having a schedule is that you get to be creative and make it your own! Color coding, stickers, and even motivational journals can help your schedule stay on track.

2.     Stay active: During the cold dip of December it can be so hard to want to stay out of the house and participate in different activities. Staying active and going to different activities on different days can help you stay motivated with the tasks you have to accomplish. The bonus of staying active is that in turn, you will more energy to get all of the things done that you need to accomplish! Any form of activity will help you gain energy and have an elevated mood.

3.     Mantras: Mantras are one of my all time favorite things that we can provide for ourselves. A mantra is a positive statement that can help you stay positive and motivated. Essentially, you are your own cheerleader! Small little statements such as “you can do it!” or “you got this!” can help shift your perspective and refocus your attention to the task at hand. Tip: Write some of your favorite mantras on post-its and put them on your mirror. This way, every morning before you leave you can remind yourself of how awesome you are and that you CAN do it!

4.     Commit to plans/socialize: It can feel so easy to isolate ourselves and stay home when it is dark and cold. However, when that happens, we often loose touch with our friends and typically become unmotivated to do much of anything. Committing to plans requires us to engage and step outside of our “winter comfort zone”. As a bonus, you can use this an an opportunity to find unique and different activities that you can only do during the colder months (ice skating, playing in the snow, etc.).

If you are interested in learning more about how to stay motivated or to work with Mia on how to incorporate any of the above tips, call (646) 494-4878 to set up a time to meet.