Why Your December Motivation Ghosted You (And Why That's Perfectly Fine!)
Alright, let's have a little chat. It's December. The "most wonderful time of the year," right? Everywhere you look, twinkly lights, festive tunes, and folks seemingly buzzing with holiday cheer. But deep down, you're probably wondering why your motivation packed its bags, sent a vague "it's not you, it's me" text, and vanished into thin air. You're not alone, my friend. In fact, it's so common, a psychologist even weighed in on it!
Here’s the deal: December is basically a motivation black hole, and your brain is just trying to survive. Let's peek behind the tinsel curtain:
1. The Sun Ditched Us (Literally)
Remember when the sun was a regular fixture? Yeah, me neither. These short, dark days are no joke. Our bodies are hardwired to respond to light, and when it’s playing hide-and-seek, our energy levels tend to follow suit. Less sunlight means our internal clocks get a bit wonky, and producing all those "get up and go" chemicals becomes a much harder job. Your body is basically whispering, "Hey, maybe we should just hibernate until spring?" And honestly, that sounds like a solid plan.
2. The Festive Frenzy is Exhausting
Parties, gift-buying marathons, awkward family gatherings, baking sprees, decorating dilemmas – December's social calendar is less a calendar and more an Olympic-level obstacle course. Each event, each gift, each conversation, no matter how joyful, saps a little bit of your precious energy. By the time you get to that next thing, your social battery is blinking red, and your brain is just begging for five minutes of silence in a dark room. It's a fun kind of exhaustion, but exhaustion nonetheless!
3. Year-End Pressure Cooker
Suddenly, everyone wants everything wrapped up now. Work projects, personal goals, fitness resolutions from January (remember those?). There's an invisible deadline looming over everything, making you feel like you need to sprint to the finish line of the year. Add to that the mental gymnastics of reflecting on the past 12 months, figuring out what worked (and what really didn't), and trying to plan for next year. Your brain is juggling so many balls, it's a wonder it hasn't just dropped them all and taken a nap.
4. The "Joy" Obligation is Heavy
Social media paints a picture of perfectly serene, joy-filled holidays where everyone is effortlessly cheerful and stress-free. This creates a subtle pressure to feel happy, productive, and overflowing with holiday spirit, even when you're just trying to figure out if you've remembered to defrost the turkey. This "should be joyful" pressure can actually make you feel worse when you're not living up to an impossible ideal.
So, What's the Good News? IT'S TOTALLY OKAY!
Seriously. Give yourself a huge break. December isn't the time to push through with brute force. It's a natural period of winding down, just like nature itself. Trees shed their leaves, bears go to sleep, and your motivation takes a well-deserved vacation.
Instead of fighting it, try embracing it.
- Lower your expectations. It's okay if not everything gets done.
- Prioritize rest. Nap when you can, cuddle up with a book, watch cheesy holiday movies.
- Be kind to yourself. You're doing great just by navigating this wild month.
- Focus on what truly matters. Connection, coziness, a bit of peace.
January will come, and with it, a fresh slate and renewed energy (maybe!). Until then, let go of the guilt, lean into the slowdown, and enjoy the cozy chaos of December. Your future self will thank you for recharging.
Original Inspiration: https://www.forbes.com/sites/traversmark/2025/12/19/4-ways-december-kills-your-motivation-and-why-thats-okay-by-a-psychologist/