Published January 16, 2026 | By Alyx E, Founder of Collectors MD

This is the time of year when life can feel especially heavy. The days are still short. The mornings are dark. Work hours feel longer than usual, and there is not much on the calendar to look forward to yet. The dead of winter has a way of amplifying fatigue, isolation, and restlessness all at once. Even people who feel steady most of the year can feel worn down and burnt out during this stretch.

When energy dips and motivation fades, old habits often start knocking again. Not because you’ve failed, but because your brain is looking for relief. Seasonal depression doesn’t just make us feel sad, it lowers our defenses. The habits we once used to escape stress, numb discomfort, or generate excitement can suddenly feel tempting again. The familiar pull of spending, chasing, gambling-adjacent behaviors, or compulsive routines can resurface quietly, disguised as “just trying to get through the week”.

There is also pressure during this time to power through. To grind harder. To ignore how you feel and keep moving. But relying on willpower alone during this time of year rarely works. Pushing without acknowledging the weight of the season can actually make the urges louder, not quieter. When the nervous system is already depleted, relying on mental discipline alone can be a fragile strategy.

The days tend to blur together during this period. Fatigue builds gradually, and it becomes harder to tell whether you are actually coping or just enduring.

This season asks for a different kind of strength. Not intensity and strain, but rather consistency and resilience. Short walks in daylight when you can get it. Honest check-ins instead of isolating. Scaling back expectations rather than adding more pressure. Replacing “I just need to get through this” with “What would support me today?”. These small acts create stability when motivation is at an all-time low.

If you feel yourself slipping toward old patterns right now, that doesn’t mean you’re regressing. It means you are human in a difficult and challenging season. The dead of winter has a way of exposing the cracks, but it can also teach us how to reinforce them with compassion and patience instead of shame and restlessness.

You aren’t weak for struggling during this time of year. You’re responding to real conditions with real effects on your body and mind. Awareness, support, and gentleness aren’t indulgences, they’re protective factors. This season will pass, but the habits you build to care for yourself through it can last much longer.

#CollectorsMD
This time of year isn’t about pushing harder, it’s about recognizing seasonal depression for what it is and responding intentionally.

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We’re re-uploading every episode of our podcasts—one per day—to make sure our new members and followers can catch up from the beginning.

If you’re new to Collectors MD, these conversations are where it all started—honest, unfiltered discussions about the realities of collecting, recovery, and rebuilding a healthier hobby.

We’ll be sharing episodes from The Collector’s Compass & Behind The Breaks covering everything from gambling parallels in collecting, to mental health, to how we find purpose beyond the chase.

Whether you’ve been here since day one or just joined the movement, this is your chance to revisit the stories that shaped our mission.

Subscribe on YouTube, follow along daily, like, comment, and help us spread the message: the hobby gets healthier when we do.

Collect With Intention. Not Compulsion.

The Collector's Compass #4: Finding Light In The Darkness Through Collecting

#CollectorsMD | #RipResponsibly | #CollectResponsibly

Published August 27, 2025 | By Dayae Kim, LMFT, Collectors MD Referral Network

The fears and stress that come with major life transitions are real and valid. A common theme I see with many of my clients is the anxiety and uncertainty that comes with change.

Life transitions look different for everyone. Some of my clients are graduating from college and entering the workforce for the first time. Others are navigating a breakup or beginning a new relationship. Some are adjusting to pregnancy or the realities of life with children. While these changes can be exciting, they are often filled with anxiety, fear, and stress because of the unknown.

One of the first things I encourage clients to do is speak their fears out loud instead of silently ruminating. Naming fears can immediately reduce the power they hold. From there, we work together to identify what’s actually changing—the loss of structure, the shift in identity, or the pressure to know what comes next.

I often ask, “What kind of structure or routine would you like to create for yourself now?”

When life feels purposeless or chaotic, building even small routines can restore a sense of control and calm.

It’s important to remember, creating structure doesn’t erase anxiety altogether. It is normal to feel excited, nervous, and fearful during transitions. Instead of pushing those feelings away, I encourage clients to embrace them—and to notice when they become overwhelming.

Another common fear I see is the belief that slowing down means “losing momentum”. Ironically, that fear can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Instead, I help clients acknowledge the fear and reframe it—momentum naturally has ebbs and flows. The more powerful question becomes, “What am I capable of right now?” or “What is one step I can take today?” That small mindset shift can make all the difference.

Here are some practical tips for managing life transition anxiety:

• Name your fears out loud. Reducing silent rumination can ease overwhelming thoughts.

• Identify what’s really changing. Is it your structure, identity, or sense of purpose?

• Build small routines. Simple daily habits help create grounding and stability.

• Accept all your feelings. Anxiety, excitement, and fear can coexist.

• Reframe the fear of “losing momentum”. Progress is not linear; slowing down can still be growth.

Life transitions—whether in career, relationships, or family—are challenging because they push us into the unknown. But they also hold the potential for growth, resilience, and meaning. If you’re finding yourself stuck in anxiety during a transition, know that you don’t have to navigate it alone.

In the collecting world, these same patterns often show up during hobby transitions. Maybe you’ve stopped chasing big breaks and are shifting toward intentional collecting, or maybe your finances are forcing you to rethink what and how you collect. These transitions can feel scary, like you’re “falling behind” or “losing momentum”. But just as in life, slowing down or changing direction doesn’t erase your growth—it deepens it.

Building new routines around your collecting, asking yourself what value it adds, and naming your fears openly can create grounding and clarity in the middle of uncertainty.

If you or someone you know is moving through uncertainty and want to create grounding routines and find clarity in the midst of change, then please feel free to schedule a consultation with me.

#CollectorsMD
Every transition—whether in life or in collecting—holds the chance to find new meaning if we face it with honesty and intention.

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