I know most people feel absolutely drained after the holidays. Spending time with loved ones is so much fun- but once the festivities have come to an end, most of us find that we are in a bit of a slump and aren’t motivated to keep our spirits up now that we have to go back to business-as-usual. So what do we do? 

The good news is, the post-holiday blues are preventable! 

Remember those New Year’s resolutions that you thought of? Start working towards those. No matter how big or small the goal may be, taking small steps every day towards those resolutions can keep your energy high and make you want to take more steps towards your ideal 2023. You can do this by giving yourself a small (and fun!) to-do list for the day and gradually increase the amount and intensity of tasks as you feel more motivated by your goals. 

Here at Cardinal Rule Press, we are happy to help you with resources for your bookstore or library. Get your FREE Holiday Book List here!

If you find that the blues come from seeing your loved ones only for the holidays, try planning more family time during the upcoming year. Even if you cannot be face-to-face with your favorite people, having time set aside to talk with the important people in your life is a great way to keep everyone’s spirits high and make the ending of the holiday season less of a drag. There are many activities that can still be done with your loved ones on video chat, like reading a good book (any of Cardinal Rule Press’s titles are fun to read with others), hosting a virtual game night, and watching movies! Did you know that a lot of streaming services offer a feature where you can watch a movie with someone without being in the same room? 

If you find that there is still time before going back to school, there are tons of fun crafts that you can make. You can find creative ways to recycle your used wrapping paper, tissue paper, bows, and any holiday-related items that you could repurpose and turn into a fun arts and crafts activity! Using household items like toilet paper/ paper towel rolls are also a great way to utilize materials that you already have and turn them into something beautiful.

Everyone has different ways of avoiding the blues, maybe yours is spending time outside, cleaning up the holiday decorations and storing them for next year, or spending time alone with a cup of cocoa and a good book. No matter what, there is always a way to keep your mood high when you find yourself feeling down after the holidays. There’s a wonderful year ahead of us that is full of so much possibility! Let’s get 2023 off to a good start. 

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Paige Hackman is an acquisitions intern for Cardinal Rule Press. She enjoys reading and writing in her free time and loves spending time with her cats Poppy and Murphy.