back to reality: 4 tips for avoiding the after-holiday blues.

Coat. Top. Jeans. Shoes. (c/o Payless.) Bag. Necklace. Sunglasses. Circle ring.

Last night I was dancing in the car with my sisters, my mom, and Hannah, windows rolled down, heater blasting singing old Abba songs at the top of our lungs while driving through a snow storm to drop treats on people’s doorsteps.

It was just as fun as it sounds.  More, even.

 This morning I’m sitting in car packed to the absolute brim, driving the long 13 hours back to Seattle.  Back to reality.

It’s a real buzzkill.

We all love the holiday season, but let’s be real, after Christmas can be a real downer.   And trust me, I know.  My birthday is this Friday and even that rarely lifts me out of the post-holiday funk.

I thought today would be a good day to share my four tips to avoiding the after-holiday blues.

1-Clean up. Take Christmas down, unpack if you’ve been traveling, do all your holiday laundry, dejunk a room, get your house shining.  I know it feels like a bummer at first, but getting your space back to it’s normal state, feels like a nice clean slate to start the year on.

2-Start your New Years Fitness routine.  Not because it’s a resolution (although that’s a good reason), but exercise is a great help to a grumpy mood.  And feeling like you’re already accomplishing a goal will be invigorating.

3- Get back into your regular clothes.  During the holiday’s I feel like I’m either in super dressy clothes or jammies.  There’s no in between.  Which is fun… for awhile.  But after a bit I’m so ready for my regular clothes again.  A pair of jeans, a simple shirt, some great booties; clothes I can do regular life in is what I am all about.  I’m ready to get back into my routine, and I want my clothes fuss free and ready for anything.  I love a low-heeled pair of booties because  they’re great for everyday, but they still look classy and put together.  Payless has a bunch of great everyday boot options right now at killer sale prices.

4- Give yourself something to look forward to. I think the biggest bummer about the end of the holiday season is that it feels like there’s no longer anything to look forward to.  So, give yourself something.  Make plans. They don’t have to be big ones.  Sometimes it’s just heading to the art museum on free first Thursday for an afternoon, or planning a fun date night for me and my husband.  You could even plan a little weekend getaway for the end of the month.  Giving myself something to look forward to a few weeks out makes it easier for me to beat the post-holiday funk.

So there you have it!  My 4 tips for beating the post-holiday blues.  How to you keep yourself from getting bummed out after Christmas?

*this post was created in partnership with Payless.