Feeling the winter blues? You are not alone. This second part of January is usually challenging for people for several reasons. But we don’t have to let the blah mood, feelings, and energy take over, and make life more difficult for ourselves. We can increase our awareness of what is happening for us, instead of being steeped in it with no light in sight. Picking up our head and bringing more consciousness to our situation allows us to tap into our resources and snap ourselves out of it.
Here are 5 reasons we are feeling the winter blues, including seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and 3 powerful ways of addressing them to elevate ourselves into new beginnings, and our New Ideal Future…
5 Reasons for the Winter Blues
There is no shame or judgement about being afflicted by the winter blues. You might be experiencing some blahs and lack of motivation. Or you might be feeling straight up *depressed. Regardless of where you are on the spectrum, these will help you have your own back, feel better and get moving in the right direction for you and for your new future…
The Holidays are usually toughand their impact have a tendency to linger. You might have had a bit of momentum with the start of the New Year with stepping up your game to start the new year right. But soon after, any lingering and new negative feelings emerge as the accelerated pace, excitement, personal time, and availability for connection go back to normal and there is a sense of loss or let down.
Cold and Dark Winter Days
As there is a bit of hibernation, isolation, less sun light, fresh air, connection to nature, and shorter days that make it difficult to feel in the flow, bright and energized. Our circadian rhythm is off as we don’t properly align our life with sunup and sundown… And a lot of our biological systems get thrown off affecting our brain function and mood. Our mental healthis impacted.
Financial Strain
Around this time is when it becomes more obvious how much the holiday season had an impact on our finances. Even if we were intentional about our spending, there might still be a part of us that feels the impact of the additional spending.
Unfulfilled New Year’s Resolutions or Intentions
We all have the best of intentions to have our Best Year Yet, but nonetheless might be quick to fall into our usual routines, patterns, and lose sight of the changes we want to make. We let up on creating the new habits. And on addressing any frictions or obstacles to fully implementing any changes to our routines.
Lack of Motivation
We are already feeling depleted from all the above, and additionally don’t we might not have a dream, a vision, and goals to pull us forward, inspire us and excite us. It makes sense that we’d be lost, stuck or gloomy and not feel like tackling anything.
We can experience any combination of the above to some extent. The result is having a bumpy start to the new year and feeling like we are behind the 8ball. That we are not upleveling properly and timely for our best year yet. We might feel impostor syndrome, judgment, shame, fear, inertia at being in this place, making the whole thing even worse.
3 Empowering Ways to Beat the Winter Blues
The only thing to do is to be kind and compassionate with ourselves when we are not feeling well. To be gentle and loving, and to have our own back to get ourselves on the right track, and rocking it before we know it.
Manage Yourself and Your Feelings
The key is to self-soothe/regulate, self-care and energize ourselves.
Self-soothe – Use practices to manage and alleviate the feelings, change your mood, and uplevel your state: Meditation, breathing techniques, EFT, mindfulness, journaling, addressing limiting believes, cultivating joy, decreasing screen time, and focusing on things that are in our control (personal ownership and accountability).
Self-care – Aside from the above focus taking care of yourself: Proper sleep, nutrition, hydration, supplementation, exercise, personal care.
Step up the fun and connection – Be super intentional about having positive experiences and nurturing connection: Schedule connection time with your partner and other loved ones, intentionally participate in your networks, map out and schedule or book fun experiences, play at old or new hobbies.
Address Financial Distress
Regardless of your financial situation, the key here is to get a handle on where you are at and to make a plan to get back on track. Whether it’s to eliminate debt, replenish savings, start investing or some other goal. Of course, consider consulting a financial advisor to support you implement the right plan for you to achieve your financial goals.
Activate Your North Star
This one is my favorite. Aligning ourselves with our higher-self, our purpose, and what kind of life we want to live is the way to create that life. Identify what is your Grand Life Experience you are here to live… What is the vision, the purpose, the dream. Then identify specific goals against that vision to create it… And specific habits, tactics, and strategies to achieve them. Without a roadmap, a vehicle, and the gas you won’t get very far. This is the inspiration and motivation to propel you forward. You don’t need to depend on will power, discipline and grit. Tap into inspiration!
If even the above feel daunting, know that it is totally fine to move at your own pace, to honor where you are, to take care of yourself, and take tiny actions on the above to get yourself moving in the right direction. And, of course, get yourself support as needed!
Wishing you clear sunny days, and an amazing New Year and New Future…
Hope this information serves you and helps you get on the path to your Successful Relationship and Meaningful Life.
NEW! Monthly Activating Protocols Establish Your Highest Potential in 10 Key Life Areas, Design Your New Life Having a North Star ensures we stay the course on the path we desire on our Journey. It ensures we create the relationship and life we love, and have the Human Experience we desire… In this activation, we walk through a Visioning and Expansion Process to reprogram and reset for the New Year… We take a deep dive and activate the Highest Potential in 10 Life Areas to drive your reset. You get to explore your heart’s desires and identify the specific actions, tactic, or habits you’ll implement to create your New Beginnings, and your Ideal New Life… We design your ideal lifestyle you can start living immediately that’s the framework to live your Grand Life Adventure…
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RESOURCES
~~ Watch our related videos on our YouTube channel
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We can help with our select memberships: Radiance Membership– Transformational content and experiences subscription (Only $29 per month!) Success Membership – Private sessions and Radiance Membership access! (Start with an Initial Session)
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DISCLAIMER: This content is meant to support your Journey and not as a replacement for professional assistance. Additionally, the ideas and resources provides by our guests are their ideas and recommendations alone and not necessarily a reflection of mine
Copyright (c) 2025 Emma K. Viglucci. All rights reserved.
Relationships are a funny thing. We love them, we love to be in them, but a lot of times we struggle in them. Our romantic relationship, our partnership, is one of the most important things in our life, and yet, it might seem it isn’t by how we treat it and prioritize it in our life… Sometimes our partner is lucky if they even get on the priority list… Specially during this time of year, when our plates are so full that we might feel we have less time to do more stuff in.
When we get so hectic with demands, responsibilities and managing ourselves, it is very easy for our relationship to take a hit…
And this doesn’t mean that it’s hopeless. That it can’t work. That it’ll never be back to normal or that we won’t ever crack the code.
This just means that we are experiencing the very normal ebb and flow that happens in relationships. Sometimes things are great, sometimes we go through a little slump.
It is during the down times that we have to be more intentional about getting ourselves back on track, so we don’t create more wear and tear, and more importantly so that we don’t create irreparable damage… When we neglect our partner and our relationship for too long, or put them through the ringer too roughly, is like taking a knife to our bond… Once severed, it is very difficult to put it back together…
When we experience disharmony and disconnection, it’s important we invest in regaining the harmony, the connection, the joy… And we do that through reparative initiatives to resolve any disagreements, to get on the same page, to show and get understanding, acceptance, empathy, and compassion, to make amends…
As we ride the ebb and flow, we expand with each code we crack, with every repair, with every realignment, with every recommitment. This is the magic of being in relationship. At the end of the day, we are in relationship for our own expansion… Our partner is our Life Partner, they are a part of our Journey and to be treated with the at most regard due that role…
The key in all this is that we consistently invest in our relationship, in our partnership, to create our dream relationship for our best experience and most expansion…
~ During the highs we invest in continuing our evolution and expansion, in nurturing and enriching our relationship, in taking it to the next level…
Our relationship is the vehicle through which we experience ourselves the most… Through our relationship we can explore, and expand, ourselves.
To not tap into this built in Journey Hack, and the Synergy that’s inherently part of our Union, is such a waste…
I offer that we take our relationship lightly-seriously for all that it has to offer us… And to do it justice, have our own back, and have the best Human Experience, that we tap into resources available to us to support us in our Journey.
In this episode, I have a delightful and empowering conversation with Victoria Sotelo, also a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, about how to create a healthy, harmonious, and honoring ebb and flow in our long-term relationship with our Partner.
We discuss: how to repair when things get off track, what might get us off track and roadblocks that disrupt our connection, how to get unstuck, the importance of identifying our core needs and operating from our values, and activating a positive approach and state of being to show up compassionately and lovingly in our relationship. But as if that wasn’t wonderful enough, we discussed how to create a Relationship Vision and how to nurture the relationship during the holidays!
Hope this information serves you and helps you get on the path to your Successful Relationship and Meaningful Life.
ABOUT OUR GUEST
Victoria Sotelo brings a heart of compassion and passionate energy for cultivating healthy Marriages and Sexual Intimacy to her clients. She practices from an integrative model, incorporating the Biological-Psychological-Social-& Spiritual aspects of her client’s lives. Her excellent listening skills and problem-solving methods, along with her clinical experience, position her as a therapist with a balanced approach. Victoria has lectured to groups and professionals on ways to deepen sexual intimacy, and improve the quality of life, both in marriage, family, and personal growth potential. Victoria holds an LMFT license in New York, New Jersey, and Florida. You can find her HERE.
~~ Watch our related videos on our YouTube channel
~~ Get our FREE 1-pg downloadableEnd-Of-Year and New-Year Planning Process (ENP Process)for establishing a shared life vision, creating a life and relationship plan, and starting the New Year with a New Relationship and New Your!
~~ Do you need support taking yourself, your relationship, and your life to the next level- actually living a healthy, happy, harmonious and overall abundant life?
We can help with our select memberships: Radiance Membership – Transformational content and experiences subscription (Only $29 per month!) Success Membership– Private sessions and Radiance Membership access! (Start with an Initial Session)
~~ Interested in being our Guest? Interested in having Emma be a Guest in your Podcast?
DISCLAIMER: This content is meant to support your Journey and not as a replacement for professional assistance. Additionally, the ideas and resources provides by our guests are their ideas and recommendations alone and not necessarily a reflection of mine
Copyright (c) 2024 Emma K. Viglucci. All rights reserved.
Sometimes we overcomplicate what it takes to take ourselves and our relationship to the next level. We might think it’s hopeless, that it’s impossible, and that it’s too much work and either not worth it or that we can’t do it. We might think we have to do all the work because our partner doesn’t want to even talk about our relationship. We might feel stuck and alone.
But all that is not necessarily true! At some level you are choosing to experience your life and your relationship that way. And so you cocreate that experience with your partner… Don’t shoot the messenger.
All the psychobabble aside, suffice it to say that you can bypass all this heartache and headache and take a shortcut… That’s right, a shortcut. Why not? Who said we can’t make things easier for ourselves?
This shortcut has to do with changing your personal brand, including your image, to show up to your relationship and your life differently… Letting your brand lead the way, you’ll automatically shift your state, your mood, your energy and become more magnetic inspiring something different in your interactions…
In this episode, I have motivating and fun conversation with Personal Branding Expert, Tavia Sharp, on what is our personal brand, the impact in has on our relationship and our life, identifying when we need a brand refresh, what a brand refresh can do for us, how the refresh can rekindle romantical sparks in our relationship and change our dynamics, how to address fear or resistance to upgrades and changes, and how to use the holidays to start our refresh to set ourselves up to start the new year with a brand you us…
We also explore Tavia’s process for rebranding ourselves!
Hope this information serves you and helps you get on the path to your Successful Relationship and Meaningful Life.
ABOUT OUR GUEST
Tavia Sharp is an Executive Image Consultant, Personal Branding Expert and Speaker with over 20 years of fashion industry experience designing for some of the top brands like Calvin Klein, Nautica and Macy’s. Her designs have even been featured on celebs like Drake, Ne-Yo, Chrissy Teigen and Emma Roberts in magazines like GQ & Sports Illustrated. After years working behind the scenes, Tavia discovered her true calling- to help ambitious entrepreneurs and executives discover their secret weapon and upgrade their online & offline image so that they can take their business and brand to the next level. From individualized consulting and styling services to seminars and workshops, Tavia brings her A-game to help clients solidify their personal & professional image to stand out, make an impact and magnetize premium opportunities. You can find her HERE.
~~ Watch our related videos on our YouTube channel
~~ Get our FREE 1-pg downloadableEnd-Of-Year and New-Year Planning Process (ENP Process)for establishing a shared life vision, creating a life and relationship plan, and starting the New Year with a New Relationship and New Your!
~~ Do you need support taking yourself, your relationship, and your life to the next level- actually living a healthy, happy, harmonious and overall abundant life?
We can help with our select memberships: Radiance Membership – Transformational content and experiences subscription (Only $29 per month!) Success Membership– Private sessions and Radiance Membership access! (Start with an Initial Session)
~~ Interested in being our Guest? Interested in having Emma be a Guest in your Podcast?
DISCLAIMER: This content is meant to support your Journey and not as a replacement for professional assistance. Additionally, the ideas and resources provides by our guests are their ideas and recommendations alone and not necessarily a reflection of mine
Copyright (c) 2024 Emma K. Viglucci. All rights reserved.
Even though we love our partner so much, we might still find that we fight or feel disconnected often… We might attribute this to flukes, poor communication skills, our partner’s attributes and imperfections, our sensitivities or triggers, or not being compatible and wondering about our commitment to the relationship… And there might be some truth to some or all of these… But there is also something else going on as well. Something that most partners don’t usually pay attention to. And that is how they are using their Core Masculine or Feminine Energies…
Gender aside, partners have both energies as human beings. And they inherently lean towards one more than the other at their core. Things got messed up for us with the women’s movement in that women had to take on more of their masculine traits and characteristics to survive and compete in a man’s world. Shunning and repressing their more feminine traits.
Our world hasn’t been valuing feminine characteristics like emotionality, expressiveness, sensitivity, compassion, empathy, nurturing, caring, intuition, creativity, flow, gentleness, helpfulness, collaboration, and such… When people show up with these traits, they are considered weak… So, women and other female identifying persons have adapted to using their masculine traits more: logical, reserved, disciplined, ambitious, planner, leader, assertive, aggressive, courageous, and such…
Why do we care about this? Because when both partners show up to an interaction, or to their relationship in general, with masculine energy, that’s what creates friction. That’s when they butt heads, disagree and fight. And that’s when the Core Masculine person in the relationship gets displaced, where they then become disengaged or distant. Creating the feeling of disconnection in the relationship…
To make matters worse, there is no attraction between two of the same core energies… Opposites are needed to create passion and be swept off our feet if our core is feminine and that’s what we desire.
In this episode, I have a wonderfully enlightening conversation with Women and Relationship Coach, Valerie Greene on how to use our Core Energies to create more harmony and passion in our relationship. We explore the differences between masculine and feminine energies, how to identify what energy we are operating from and how to distinguish when each is called for, what type of relationship gets created according to what energy we choose to show up with, that we can choose what kind of relationship we want to create, how to bring our feminine energy back online, and how we can turn our relationship around.
Additionally, we cover how to feel and expand our gratitude feels this holiday season.
Hope this information serves you and helps you get on the path to your Successful Relationship and Meaningful Life.
ABOUT OUR GUEST
Valerie Greene is a unique relationship mentor, author, and speaker who has been helping women and couples attract, reignite, and sustain lasting love since 2005. A highly successful alternative to relationship therapy, Valerie facilitates a secure emotional connection— not just problem-solving or communication skills. She has been featured on many podcasts, summits, and shows. Valerie struggled in romantic relationships until she healed her own blocks to unconditional love, which in spired her to pursue numerous certifications in coaching, NLP, and emotional healing modalities. Now Valerie has an earned-secure attachment style and teaches others how to build secure attachment. She believes that love, passion, intimacy, and mutual support is everyone’s birth right and it’s never too late to heal and learn the skills of lasting love. You can find her HERE.
When your gratitude practice needs a little pick me up use romantical appreciation…
Regardless of what Gratitude Practice we might have, I’m pretty sure most of us don’t have appreciating differences in there! That’s too bad because this is what makes the world go around… If only we were more tolerant and appreciative of differences…
When it comes to our relationship appreciating differences is not just a nice thing to do, but a must. We are usually so different from our partner and is the differences and how we deal with them that cause conflict…
~ What if we were to reframe our differences as blessings, for they are…
~ What if we were to accept the differences for what they are and not as an attack or deficiency towards us…
~ What if we were to actually embrace and appreciate the differences as they provide us with needed contrast, opportunity for growth, and enrichment…
So, I say we shift how we tend to look at our partner and the things that might annoy us… And instead create a Romantical Appreciation List™…
Yep, create a list that captures the essence of your partner, how they are blessing in your Journey even when it doesn’t seem so, and all the nuances you love about them…
Now that’s an appreciation list!
If you feel stuck with this because you are struggling in your relationship, or just because, check out the podcast episode above. It showcases how partners might have opposing Core Masculine and Feminine Energies and therefore have opposing needs that contribute to conflict… Things can be absolutely wonderful when these are minded…
And, check out the Integration Experience below for the in depth, but simple and yet powerful and impactful, 3 Dimensions of Appreciation protocol to help you along… Shifting how to appreciate our partner, shifts our dynamics rekindling loving vibes…
Set yourself up for a truly grateful Thanksgiving!
Happy Appreciating!
JUST FOR YOU
Embrace 3 Dimension of Appreciation with ease!
Check out November’s Integration Experience ~ Available in Recording! ~
Broaden Your Gratitude Practice, Rekindle Loving Vibes – A gratitude practice brings along a multitude of benefits for ourselves, our relationship, and the world at large… Ranging from increasing resilience and improving mental health to engendering collaboration and peace. We tend to focus on this during the holidays and more specially around Thanksgiving, but by having such a narrow focus we are cheating ourselves of this super practice’s gifts. We can make it easier to do this practice on a consistent basis, by learning more about its benefits and broadening its definition and application. And, by applying it specifically to our relationship for a transformative effect… Embracing our 3 Dimensions of Appreciation Protocol does the trick! Access it HERE!
Don’t have a Membership with us yet? Access it and much more through our Radiance Membership! (Discounted for Thanksgiving for ONLY $15 per month, until 11/30/24 – use code: Thanksgiving) Learn more below and Get Enrolled HERE!
RESOURCES
~~ Watch our related videos on our YouTube channel
~~ Get our FREE 1-pg downloadableConnecting for Change Guidelines for creating a strong partnership with your partner and a life you love!
~~ Do you need support taking yourself, your relationship, and your life to the next level- actually living a healthy, happy, harmonious and overall abundant life?
We can help with our select memberships: Radiance Membership – Transformational content and experiences subscription (only $15 per month through 11/30! Code: Thanksgiving) Success Membership– Private sessions and Radiance Membership access! (start with an Initial Session)
~~ Interested in being our Guest? Interested in having Emma be a Guest in your Podcast?
DISCLAIMER: This content is meant to support your Journey and not as a replacement for professional assistance. Additionally, the ideas and resources provides by our guests are their ideas and recommendations alone and not necessarily a reflection of mine.
Copyright (c) 2024 Emma K. Viglucci. All rights reserved.
I know that at the beginning of November many like to start Gratitude Challenges to honor the Thanksgiving Holiday and to get the Holiday Season off to a wonderful start. This year though we had a tentative start to the month with the elections, strange weather patterns, and natural disasters, but we are still called to be grateful…
Our gratitude might sound trite at times if it is superficial, prescribed, and automatic if it doesn’t have depth and feeling. If it is forced with a must or should feel to it.
Genuine gratitude comes from a deeper place. Not from just all the things we love and appreciate. But from place of meaning, impact, and reverence…
How often do we connect to this feeling of gratitude when it comes to our partner? Probably not very often… We usually focus on what they do for us and what we get instead, or how they disappoint us… We have a strong negativity bias… This is especially true when we are experiencing relationship struggles. We lose sight of the blessing that is our partner in our life…
But maybe this Thanksgiving, and for going forward, we can reprogram this apathy for a more meaningful holiday, more wellbeing, peace, and joy, and creating change in our relationship…
Embrace the 3 Dimensions of Appreciation
Embracing an intentional approach to Appreciation, having a strong Gratitude Mindset, and an inspired Gratitude Practice will have a huge impact on the quality of your relationship. It will help propel it to the next level. The 3 Dimensions of Appreciation (see how to get the full protocol below!) guides you in how to truly experience Thanksgiving.
Giving Grace
We stop being so critical, demanding, judgy and harsh. And instead we allow for imperfections, mistakes and offness… We appreciate the quirks and differences… We have their back… We give more grace…
Embracing Gratitude
We start to truly and deeply appreciating the gift and blessing that is our partner, the reason why they are a part of our Journey… And everything they do contribute to our life… We give more gratitude…
Expanding Generosity
We step it up a notch with how we show up to our relationship. We stop being greedy, self-focused, and stingy… We are more present, attentive, nurturing, supportive, affectionate, etc… We give unconditionally… We show more generosity…
So if we are looking to feel better, get along better, love better. If we are looking for an easier life. If we are looking for a more lovely lifestyle. If we are looking for a more amazing relationship. If we are looking for a rocking human experience. Maybe we gotta upgrade our Gratitude Mindset and embrace a higher level of Appreciation…
Here is to a season filled with magic and blessings!
Wishing you all the joy, connection and love today and always…
With Much Love & Light!
Embrace 3 Dimension of Appreciation with ease!
Check out this month’s Integration Experience~ Available in Recording! ~ Broaden Your Gratitude Practice, Rekindle Loving Vibes A gratitude practice brings along a multitude of benefits for ourselves, our relationship, and the world at large… Ranging from increasing resilience and improving mental health to engendering collaboration and peace. We tend to focus on this during the holidays and more specially around Thanksgiving, but by having such a narrow focus we are cheating ourselves of this super practice’s gifts. We can make it easier to do this practice on a consistent basis, by learning more about its benefits and broadening its definition and application. And, by applying it specifically to our relationship for a transformative effect… Embracing our 3 Dimensions of Appreciation Protocol does the trick! Access it HERE!
Don’t have a Membership with us yet? Get Access it and much more through our Radiance Membership! (at only $29 per month) Get Enrolled NOW!
PPS: Do you need support taking yourself, your relationship, and your life to the next level- actually living a healthy, happy, harmonious and overall abundant life?
Copyright (c) 2024 Emma K. Viglucci. All rights reserved.
Want to Use this Article in Your Own Website or Publication? Be our guest! Here is how, you MUST include: Emma K. Viglucci, LMFT is the Founder and Director of Metropolitan Marriage & Family Therapy, PLLC, a private practice that specializes in working with couples, she is the creator of the MetroRelationship™ philosophy and the Successful Couple Strategy™ that assist couples succeed at their relationship and their life. Stay Connected™ with Emma and receive weekly connection notes in your inbox with Personal Development and Relationship Enrichment insights and strategies, visit: www.metrorelationship.com.
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Emma K. Viglucci, LMFT has been in the mental health profession in varying capacities for the past 20+ years. She is the Founder and Director of metrorelationship.com a psychotherapy and coaching practice specializing in working with busy professional and entrepreneurial couples who are struggling getting on the same page and feeling connected. The work helps couples create a radiant and successful relationship and meaningful life by becoming a strong partnership and increasing their connection, intimacy, and fun. Emma is the creator of the MetroRelationship™ philosophy and the Successful Relationship Strategy™.
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