AIBU to think January is going to be really bloody hard?

[Poorlykitten]

I’m already slightly panicking about Jan, it’s a difficult, dark month anyway. No way I can escape to sunnier climes at the moment now either but beginning to dawn on me that, despite the vaccine, it’s going to be a very, very long haul to get anywhere near normal again. Especially with new variants appearing that they clearly don’t know anything about. My mental health is just about to take a nose-dive. I literally haven’t been seeing anyone since April-ish, trying to follow the rules but really can’t continue like this. There doesn’t seem an end in sight. Have tried to be very upbeat and dat by day but dreading the after Xmas blues....I’m hoping some of you lovely mumsneters might have more optimism?

Sorry! Should read ‘have tired to be very upbeat and taken it day by day’

I think try to focus on 2021 being better at some point. It will be better. More people will be vaccinated. We have spring to look forward to. It's going to be ok.

Thank you, I will try. It’s getting through the Jan/Feb hump....

I suggest getting stuff in the diary now to look forward to.

Walks and coffees with friends, zoom cocktail nights, virtual book clubs or whatever floats your boat.

You need to see people and you need to have things to look forward to.

A virtual book club sounds a nice idea...

Was always gunna be bleak for me milestone birthday.. but accepted back in november that we will be in another lockdown by then, so cant make plans. Plus brexit fall out
Hopefully we can focus on good news and plans for the future when it all blows over xx

Go out for a walk during the day each day.

But some SAD light bulbs for every light in your house, they are much cheaper than they used to be. I was advised to by my psychiatric nurse.

Take whatever money you have spare and order yourself some cheap treats to randomly allocate yourself on the bad days. I know it will seem horrendously consumerist and bad for the environment to some but it saved me a good few times.

Be prepared to cut yourself some slack too

I think a lot of people hunker down in January anyway, dry January, overspent at Christmas, crappy weather etc. It will soon be spring. Even if you can’t see people, ring them up for a chat or join some online groups. I always feel better after talking to someone,

My 40th is in January. Going to be shit.

I know. It's awful. There is no light at the end of the tunnel. Boris told us this Christmas would be normalish, FFS, and now this.
We can turn this virus around in twelve weeks.
Normal by September.
Normalish by Christmas.
You can have a highly restricted Christmas.
Now you can't have Christmas at all.
Significant normality by Easter.
What then? "Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeease, just a few more months of financial ruin, I sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeear it will be the last time..."
There's just no fucking end in sight.

What's a SAD light BULB

You don't mean daylight bulbs? I've been searching on Amazon and I can't find bulbs without being in lamps (that are expensive)

What did "normal" look like to you OP?

I am dreading it. DC school is closing for two weeks.

The one thing that has kept us going has been the routine with the DC going to school. I hated the summer, trying to juggle online learning with WFH. At least we can send them to the childminder 3 days a week now, but I am worried about them missing out on school work.

It was also not announced until yesterday afternoon, just before school closed. If I had known sooner, I would probably have tried to sort out some leave etc.

@nanbread normal looked like weekend away with groups of friends, lots of travelling, parties and festivals. Very social, very friend/family orientated. We have not seen relatives for months due to shielding, as obviously many people haven’t. I’ve been fine until now, just trying to be very mindful but this new strain is worrying....I think winter is hard enough at the best of times and I usually plan lots of lovely social things to do.....

It’s the shortest day in two days time. It’ll stay like that until around 27 Dec and then it’ll start getting light earlier. Only by about a minute a day but enough to lift my heart. You can see it on the Met Office website - have a look. Also keep your eye out for snowdrops - in gardens, on roundabouts, kerbsides. They are one of the first flowers to blossom and always let me know that brighter days are ahead. Ditto buds on the trees, the grass starting to grow again, and the local sparrows starting to go on dates.

I always do the 30 day yoga challenge with Yoga with Adriene on YouTube in January. It's free, she posts a new video every day and I really look forward to it every year. I believe the new one for 2021 is called Breath

Similar to you op with shielding.

I suppose the good thing is we weren't be so tired at Christmas. Normally trying to rush about attempting to fit everything and everyone in.

And then the there won't be such a letdown from fun Christmas combined with tiredness.

Trying to be glass half full.

You can still see your friends - it's just different.

SweatyBetty20 my happy thoughts exactly. We're at midwinter, before long we'll have snowdrops and blossom and brighter days. We'll be on an up season, and we'll still be able to meet up for the odd walk as well as virtual meetups.

In your position I would think of my mental health and see people when I like.

@Grits
Thanks for the tip been thinking I would start Yoga in January

I'm a dance fitness instructor and will be offering free online classes to keep people moving and boost morale. Sure there will be lots of things like that on offer. Hopefully people will keep each other afloat

Thank you. For all your kind thoughts and ideas. Guess I’m just having a slump and a mini-panic. It’s been a long year.