It’s the holiday season! A time for gathering with family & friends and celebration. Yes!…and all is well with the world, right?!
Not so fast…because all of the demands and expectations with cooking, baking, shopping, cleaning and entertaining -to name a few can result with significantly increased levels of stress, anxiety, and exhaustion. For some, it can also bring on feelings of isolation, loneliness and depression. Put this all together with the concerns of a pandemic still in the mix and it is no surprise why our nervous system and stress response goes into overdrive.
And when stress is at its peak, it’s hard to stop and refocus. We may get so wrapped up in all of the “noise” that we lose the true spirit of what the holidays are meant to be.
So, what can we do to prevent stress and depression in the first place, especially if the holidays have taken a toll on you in the past…
- First, set an intention for what you want your holidays to FEEL like – take some time to tune into past events to uncover what your stress “triggers” are and then lay out actions and plans to minimize and manage them. Awareness of your triggers is key to creating the holiday experience you desire.
- Acknowledge and express your feelings – you do not have to force yourself to put on your “happy face” just because it’s the holiday season. In fact, the more you allow yourself to lean into your feelings and honor them, the more you are able to process and release them from your nervous system. Also recognize if you have certain depressive feelings that persist, it may be time to call in a professional. And that’s OK.
- Seek out community if you feel isolated or lonely – there are lots of social events or groups you can join and many of them have online virtual events you can attend.
- Be realistic about expectations – the holidays do not have to be perfect! Family dynamics change over time and often traditions and rituals do too. Flexibility is key to maintaining your personal balance.
- Say NO! – saying yes to everything may leave you feeling overwhelmed, depleted and resentful. By giving yourself permission to say no, you give yourself time and space to refill your “well” and you also give others permission to say no too. Be the one to start a ripple effect of non-judgmental understanding.
- Spend what you can afford – the holiday season doesn’t mean you have to go into debt with outlandish gift giving. Just spending time with loved ones is one of the greatest gifts to me. You can opt for homemade gifts or start a family tradition of giving to a favorite charity. I love giving to our local food bank and my daughter and son-in-law have an open house each year to provide supplies to a local soup kitchen.
- Get organized – plan ahead for activities to avoid the stress of last-minute scrambling. And ask for help! I do all of the cooking at my house and my husband is great at doing all of the clean-up.
- Keep your healthy habits intact – it is easy to fall off the healthy habit “wagon” during the holidays which in turn adds to increased levels of stress, fatigue, anxiety as well as insomnia. So, keep to healthy meals and snacks as much as possible, get plenty of sleep, limit alcohol consumption, maintain regular daily physical activity and employ relaxation methods like yoga, meditation, or deep breathing techniques.
- Give yourself a “time-out” – go get a massage, take a walk outside, soak in a tub, listen to music, take a break from social media, give yourself some alone time to recharge, rejuvenate and restore.
Prepare yourself for the countless special moments that the holidays are about to offer you!
Sending my warm wishes to you for a wonderful holiday season. May your days be brighter and your heart feel lighter.