The end of celebrations with family and friends,  a fantastic roller coaster ride of joy, happiness and cheer can seem to come to a screeching halt on New Year’s Day.

The end of  holiday festivities can leave us with a serious case of post-holiday letdown.  We dread going back to the humdrum of everyday. All too soon it seems we are back to jobs and people we would rather not return to.  Even worse we feel guilty about feeling down.

Often, we are too embarrassed to talk about it or admit it even to ourselves. We present a radiant smile and upbeat personality, proclaiming that “everything’s great, everything’s okay!” But, inside we may feel deep loneliness and sadness.

There may be many reasons for feeling sad or blue.  Normal life experiences don’t stop because it’s the holidays.  Many have lost loved ones.  Others have been hurt by or parted ways with friends.  Families may be pulled apart because of divorce or military deployment .  A life threatening illness may have been diagnosed.

For most people, however,  the post-holiday blues are just that, simple post-holiday letdown. We can overcome that letdown feeling.  The soaring joy of the holidays, those wonderful times don’t have to end in sadness. We can change it. We can carry that joy over into the New Year.

Remember to be thankful…for your children, family, friends,  and health. Taking a moment to appreciate what you do have will shift your mind off of what you don’t have.

Watch your favorite comedy! Laughter really is the best medicine. And it’s an instant pick me up.

Exercise… yoga, walking, swimming…put on your favorite music and dance.  Exercise releases endorphins that instantly make you feel good. (Plus exercise is a great way to start the new year!)

Play with the kids!  You may feel that you don’t have the energy, but playing with a child will bring out the kid in you.  That’s instant energy! And the kids will love it.

1)      Know Your Status! – Many cases of HIV/AIDS are unrecorded simply because not everyone is aware they are infected.  Knowing your status not only helps you with taking care of yourself, but it also prevents the possibility of infecting others.

2)     Use protection every time. – Guys may come up with a million excuses as to why they don’t wear condoms (they don’t fit right, the time lag kills the mood, they’re ‘clean’). Don’t fall for it.  Make sure your partner uses a condom every time you have sex.  If they’re allergic to latex there are other forms of condoms available on the market that can be just as effective.  Abstinence is always the best form of protection, but if you’re going to be sexually active then protection is a must.

3)      Don’t depend on him to provide the protection. – You and you alone are solely responsible for what happens to your body. Keep your own stock of condoms, dental dams, and other forms of protection.

4)      Not everyone who’s infected will have signs. – You can’t tell who has HIV/AIDS simply by looking at them.  They walk, talk, and breathe just like the rest of us.  The best way to pick out an HIV/AIDS infected person is to assume that everyone is infected (not literally – we don’t want to kill your sex life!), however, in assuming this you are more likely to make sure you do everything possible to protect yourself.

5)      Talk to your partner. – Your life is worth it; do not be afraid!  Communication is another big key in protecting yourself.  Sure it may be awkward, but get over it!  The past should be the past, but in this case it needs to be brought up.  Discuss such things as your past STD status (if you have ever been infected then you are more susceptible to contracting another STD).  Another important point of discussion is  knowing the last time you both were tested, and if you’re currently sleeping with other partners.  There’s no need to tell names (that’s personal), but out of respect for your partner and yourself this information needs to be disclosed.

6)      Form a monogamous relationship. – If the two of you decide to be monogamous, that greatly reduces your chances of becoming infected.  This is where trust comes into play, as you each will depend on the other to remain faithful.  This only works if you plan on being with this person for an extended period of time, but should you decide to be with others then your partner needs to know if you’ll still be sleeping with them too.

7)      Down low = OH NO! – Let’s face it, the reality is there are men out there living the down low life.  If you suspect this, a frank and open discussion is imperative!

As stated earlier, the best way to protect yourself is abstinence.  For some, that’s not a problem.  For the majority of women that’s just unrealistic.  If you should engage in sexual activity then you must protect yourself.  Take a stand.  Take charge of your body and your life.  Get tested with your partner.

Medications have improved dramatically, with people expected to live full lives – but there’s still no known cure for HIV/AIDS.  This disease won’t go anywhere if we keep blindly spreading it around.  So I challenge you to go find the nearest testing center and learn your status.  Once you do, I then challenge you to challenge someone else.  Let’s put an end to these ridiculous statistics and take back what’s rightfully ours – our health!

For more information about finding a local testing center visit www.hivtest.org or call 1-800-CDC-INFO.