From Holding It Together to Holding Yourself

Dr. Sharon H. Beatty
Jan 12
2 min read

A January Reflection on Mental Health and Renewal

By: Dr. Sharon H. Beatty, Ph.D. LCMHC, LPC

When the Noise Fades

The Christmas season often arrives with intensity—emotionally, relationally, and mentally. For many Black men, educators, caregivers, and helping professionals, the holidays are less about rest and more about endurance. Showing up. Providing. Supporting. Holding space.

And then January comes.

The decorations come down. The expectations are quiet. The calendar resets. Yet the emotional weight many carried through the holidays does not automatically lift with the turn of the year.

Naming What Was Postponed

After the holidays, there is often a quieter reckoning. The busyness slows, and what was pushed aside—fatigue, grief, disappointment, unmet needs—has more room to surface.

For Black men, this season can bring renewed reflection around identity, aging, responsibility, and emotional capacity. The question may not be “What’s next?” but “What am I still carrying?”

Letting Go of the Pressure to Reinvent

Culturally, January is framed as a time for resolutions, reinvention, and renewed discipline. For those already stretched thin, this pressure can feel overwhelming.

Mental health does not require immediate transformation. For many, January is not a season of becoming—it is a season of acknowledging.

From Survival to Sustainability

The shift from Christmas to the New Year offers an opportunity to move from survival toward sustainability.

Sustainability asks different questions:

• What pace can I realistically maintain?

• What expectations need to be adjusted?

• Where do I need support rather than silence?

A Different Kind of New Beginning

January does not have to be loud to be meaningful. Renewal does not always require goals, plans, or declarations. Sometimes renewal begins with rest.

The New Year can be less about doing more and more about carrying less.

A Gentle Invitation for January

As this year begins, consider: