So, what’s your January vibe been?
Have you been full of hustle as you dive into new goals and plans? Or did you find yourself like a deer in the headlights and overwhelmed by the approaching 2025 traffic? Perhaps you’ve been soaking up the new start energy, eager to tackle the year ahead. Or, maybe you’re feeling weighed down by the pressure of what many call a “new beginning,” with your brain still sluggish from the winter holidays. Personally, I’ve experienced all of these feelings—sometimes all in the same month. This year, it felt like I was being catapulted into 2025 all of a sudden.
In my work, I talk with many people who are in the midst of change. It’s easy to think counseling is just for big, life-altering issues—and it certainly can be. But sometimes, it’s about navigating the small and big shifts in life. January, in particular, is essentially a transition month—a bridge from the holidays back to “normal life,” and from the close of one year to the start of another.
Whether those transitions in January feel big or small, this is a time of “being in the middle of.” When January started, you may have already been in the middle of doing your job, managing family dynamics, growing as a person, parenting, or grieving. Even with new semesters, work projects, schedules, or sports seasons, much of what we carry into January has roots in the past year—or beyond.
January holds a unique tension: it’s both the same and new. It combines the allure of fresh starts with the weight of our histories and present realities. And for most of us, it’s a month spent holding all that we have been “in the middle of” while also trying to find our footing amid all the changes.
Here are some things you might be noticing about yourself this month:
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- Your brain may feel sluggish or struggling to get into gear. Or it might be running in overdrive.
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- Your nervous system could be adjusting after the high-energy rush of December. If you’ve been riding on adrenaline, your body and brain may be coming down from that — leaving you in need of more rest or feeling bored and sad. Or, if your December was slow and uneventful, you might be craving activity or mental stimulation.
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- As you transition, your emotional bandwidth may feel thinner, as you both come down from the holidays and then ramp back into your regular routine.
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- Old struggles, hopes, losses, and even past traumas might resurface, catching you off guard.
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- You may find yourself thinking, “Once X is over or finished, then I’ll finally be able to…” more often than usual.
So, how do we find equilibrium in the middle of all of this? As we move further into 2025, here are four starting points to help guide you through these challenges:
Embrace the posture of being in process. You don’t have to reinvent yourself or completely separate yourself from the past. Your unique story is continuing to unfold. Embrace who you are and where you are on your journey.
- Nervous System Maintenance: Pay attention to what your body is telling you and respond with kindness. Go ahead – take a pause right now. Notice your heartbeat, where you hold tension, and where your mind naturally goes. What do you need right now? Sleep? Deep breaths? A blanket? A walk? A change in scenery while you work? Two helpful categories to consider are sensory-avoidance (feeling overstimulated and needing to dial things back) or sensory-seeking (feeling sluggish and needing something engaging to stimulate your mind and body).
- Reframe Your Goals: Hope, desire, and grit are different from the pressure to perform, keep up, or prove yourself. You may have big goals and plans for 2025, but it’s important to remember that you can work hard and persevere without attaching a “pass/fail” moral judgment to your progress. As Lazy Genius Kendra Adachi says, “Good is here right now.” You don’t have to wait until everything is accomplished to enjoy the present.
- Lean on Community: We know that one of the ways the brain gets wired and rewired is through repeated experiences in the context of relationships. Safe people who care can help ground us through seasons of change. Ask a friend for help. Talk to a counselor. Go to that game night you’ve been avoiding, or send an audio message to your brother. Regardless of what you try, move toward connection as you navigate this part of 2025.Here’s to a new year with the same valuable you.
Written by Sarah Haus, LMHC