Easing yourself into the year

How are you doing? (or maybe "How you doin?" We’re a week into 2026.

This can be a time of year that hits us hard. We’re dealing with the financial part of xmas and we might be facing a long month of scrimping to get through.

It’s still dark in the mornings and dark by late afternoon, it’s cold with a lot of the country now freezing and getting some snow.

The festivities of the xmas period are over and ordinary routine can hit us like a jumpscare.

This is what we do for a living? This is how I have to spend the day?

Last week I talked about being kind to yourself rather than focusing entirely on what you want to achieve over the next year. Now I want to encourage you to check in with yourself.

How did the week go for you? How are you feeling? How are you -really- feeling? If it’s hitting you hard, what would help make you feel a bit better?  Why not take a moment and just ask yourself that right now?

OK, so what are you going to do?Have a catch-up with a good friend and set the world to rights?

Plan in a good walk in the daylight? (Winter clothing essential!)

Even making some time to lose yourself in a favourite book?

Have a think and get something planned in. Give yourself a bit of a hug. You got through this week!

What can I do to keep checking up on myself?

One of the easiest ways to keep an eye on our mood and to help us work through anything that’s bothering us is by journalling. It doesn’t have to anything like a traditional diary, where someone would usually write an account of everything that happened during the day. We can just make a few notes or we can write a bit about something that . What can be helpful and can become a good habit is noting, for example, 3 things that went well today or 3 things you can be grateful for today (even if the day was difficult).

If you’re having problems with your mental health, get in touch to talk about how counselling can help you move forward. You can drop me a message via the website or contact me directly at mckellarCBT@gmail.com