Here we are, Christmas is over except for those of us who celebrate Christmas through to Epiphany & beyond. We have arrived at, in my opinion, the strangest time of the year — nominally still the holidays, but also the opposite of a holiday, a blank space stretching between Christmas and New Year’s Eve when nothing seems to make sense and time tends to lose its meaning. For many of us, this is the only time of year when it feels possible, and even encouraged, to do nothing. The relaxed period between Christmas and New Year – when life seems to slow down a little and everyone takes a collective deep breath – trying to recharge our batteries before we welcome in another year.

Twixmas

This week has neither the religious gravity of Christmas nor the flat-out party atmosphere of New Year’s Eve, but is stuck halfway between one and the other. To some degree, I think all of society feels a little aimless during these few days. For most people it isn’t yet a return to the normal rhythm of regular life.

Nobody knows what to do with this leftover week, awkwardly stuck to the bottom of the year. American culture doesn’t have an official name for this time though some call it “Twixmas,” a time when nothing counts, and things just aren’t quite real.

We’re waiting for the new year, with all its resolutions and hopes for starting over, but we’re not quite done with the old one. In between the end of the old year and the beginning of the new one is this weird little stretch of unmarked time.

In American society, we spend most of the year receiving the message that we are supposed to try harder, do better, achieve more than the person next to us, rack up a bigger pile of stuff and a longer list of accomplishments. Twixmas is a week off from the forward-motion drive of the rest of the year.

Whatever we hoped to finish is either finished or it’s not going to happen this week, and all our successes and failures from the previous year are already tallied up. It’s too late for everything; Twixmas is the luxurious relief of giving up.

Even though I’m now retired, Twixmas is the only time of year when the days feel slow to me, when the time outside of whatever tasks I have to do does not somehow vanish into further worry and busyness. It is the only time I don’t feel like I am perpetually late to my own life, and that easing of guilt offers a deeper rest than merely sleeping. These days at the end of the year offer a kind of grace, a time when simply existing is enough.

Looking Ahead

For so many it seems nothing has been “quite right” since 2020. I seriously thought it couldn’t get worse than 2020. Regardless, 2023, by all accounts has been rough. Not just rough but ROUGH-rough. Most Americans feel they’re living in an exceptionally stressful time. Considering the residual effects of the pandemic, heightened political division, and economic uncertainty, it’s not hard to see why nearly half of Americans (45%) say the 2020s have been the most stressful decade since the 1960s.

Throughout this year, I think we’ve all been subjected to seismic shifts in the morale and morals of society, spurred by ongoing economic uncertainties and the rapidly evolving hostile landscape. Both of these factors have made it unusually challenging to anticipate the coming of 2024 with a positive mindset.

The “super forecasters” all have different ideas. Most seem to be projecting doom & gloom. Politics alone will be a huge factor for most Americans in 2024. There’s a part of me that would love nothing better than to just go to sleep tonight and wake up some time around Thanksgiving next year. But I know that’s not reality and I am just trying my hardest to focus on the good things in my life.

There’s clearly no way we can know what all is in store for us in 2024. None of us can prepare for 2024 — if by “prepare” we mean to check off all the steps that can keep us from the mistakes and traumas of years past. That’s because no one knows what is out there waiting for us in 2024. Yet, amid the turbulence, I believe we can still find hope. Better yet…I believe we must have hope!

Hope means believing there’s a future. Hope is crucial for human flourishing. In times of great turbulence, hope can feel naïve — or worse, like a set-up for future disappointment. And yet, hope is essential to our satisfaction, motivation, health, and performance.

When things look bleak, remaining hopeful is one of our toughest and most essential self-management tasks. It’s tough because it requires a delicate balance of accepting that we cannot know the future, while believing things will be better than the present. It’s essential because when hope is lost, so too, is our will to endure and ultimately prevail.

If you cannot imagine a better future, hope is impossible. What we imagine impacts us emotionally and physically. Conversely, when we repeatedly and vividly imagine a bleak future, it impacts our performance, mood, and even physiology. A lack of positive future imagery is associated with depression. We pay an emotional and physical price for a future that may not even arrive.

Hope requires the formation of what researchers call “pathways thinking” that can foster a belief we can make the imagined future a reality. Imagination makes hope possible; planning makes it real.

So instead of fixating on a dismal future, consciously imagine plausible alternative futures for yourself that bring you energy and motivation instead of dread and anxiety. There’s an amazing article about cultivating aspirations in your life titled “Snyder’s Hope Theory”. I encourage you to give it a read.

Some Final Thoughts On Staying Hopeful

When you feel yourself getting caught up with the rollercoaster of life it is easy to feel like things are spinning out of control. In these moments, just pause for a minute, take a breath and reflect on what your next steps will be. Taking time to press pause is sometimes the best action you can take to find that spirit of hope again.

No matter how hard things get there is always something for which we can be grateful. It is possible to catch a glimmer of hope from unexpected places. Practicing gratitude makes you better equipped to handle what comes your way with a hopeful spirit.

Every day is full of both good and bad reports, but it is the bad news that seems to travel faster. Be careful not to excessively watch, listen to or engage with media that makes you feel hopeless and fearful. Make a promise to yourself today to deliberately look for hope in the news and see what a difference it makes.

We can still acknowledge the difficulty of our situation in the world around us while also living with hope. One way to do this is to actively think of what you can look forward to beyond your present situation. Thinking about a positive future vision always inspires hope and reminds you there is another chapter still to come.

Most of us know at least one person who can persistently see the bright side of life. And it is also true to say we know some people who leave us feeling drained! Interacting with someone who is uplifting might be just the thing you need to bring a dose of much needed encouragement. When you engage in any community, on or offline, you need to ask yourself questions like “Does this person or group make me feel more or less hopeful?”

I’m going to leave you with a final, lovely quote:

They say a person needs just three things to be truly happy in this world: someone to love, something to do, and something to hope for. In the coming year I wish all three for you!

Thanks for reading this week’s post. Be sure to come back next week as we begin a new year with hopes for better things. Click “Follow Me” to stay in touch. I hope you have a wonderful week!