As we step into 2025, many of us feel a sense of dread about returning to work. We left 2024 exhausted, overwhelmed, and perhaps disillusioned. The reasons vary—too much work, mounting pressure, a difficult boss, challenging coworkers, or even a pervasive sense of helplessness about the state of the world. For some, despite a holiday break, the fear remains: What if I feel just as drained and stuck when I go back?
But what if this year could be different? What if we could approach our challenges with a new perspective—one that doesn’t ignore the difficulties but helps us navigate them with greater clarity and resilience?
If you’re feeling apprehensive about returning to work, here are three practical reflections to help you shift your state of mind and regain a sense of control:
1. Recognise the Nature of Your Thoughts
The thoughts about dreading work can feel all-consuming and undeniable. “Work is hard enough, and now I have to manage my thoughts on top of it? It’s too much!” But what if your thoughts don’t need to be managed or fought with?
Consider this: thoughts naturally come and go. They aren’t permanent, even if they feel that way. One moment you’re dreading work; the next, you’re thinking about what to eat for lunch. That shift happens naturally.
Instead of wrestling with your thoughts, try noticing them. See them as transient—not a reflection of who you are but simply part of being human. Thoughts flow through us all the time. By observing them without attaching too much weight, you might find that they pass more easily, making space for new and different perspectives.
2. Understand Your Feelings as Signals
Feelings, like thoughts, are temporary. They’re often the result of the stories we tell ourselves. For example, the feeling of dread might stem from imagining how terrible your first day back at work will be.
When you pause to reflect, you might notice that the feeling is tied to a thought—your mind’s narrative about a future event. These stories are powerful, but they’re not facts. By recognising this connection, you can create some distance between the feeling and the imagined scenario driving it.
Instead of trying to suppress feelings of overwhelm or dread, acknowledge them as signals. They’re your mind’s way of alerting you to the state of your thoughts. When you see them for what they are, they lose some of their grip.
3. Claim Your Agency
If you aren’t defined by your thoughts or feelings, what are they for? Think of them as your internal dashboard, giving you feedback on your mental state. They’re not asking you to fix or change them but to notice when you’re caught up in an unhelpful story.
This awareness opens a sense of agency. When you step back from the narrative, you create space for insight—a fresh way of seeing the situation. Albert Einstein famously said, “No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.”
When you’re not consumed by ruminating on dread, you allow your natural wisdom to emerge. You’ve probably experienced this before—the clarity that comes “out of the blue” or during mundane moments like taking a shower. These insights often feel like answers from a deeper place, giving you the confidence to take meaningful action.
Whether it’s having a conversation with a coworker, setting clearer boundaries, or simply choosing to approach the day differently, these insights guide you toward practical solutions.
A Final Thought
Your thoughts and feelings don’t need to be fixed—they need to be noticed. They’re reminders to reconnect with who you truly are: a capable, creative human being with immense potential.
As you navigate the year ahead, let your internal “dashboard” guide you, not trap you. By stepping into the present moment and tuning into your deeper wisdom, you may find 2025 isn’t something to survive but an opportunity to thrive.
Aroha, Judith
