How To Minimize Holiday Stress
Cooking, cleaning, dealing with family members you’ve been avoiding all year, and an endless parade of parties you’d rather not attend (well maybe some of them, but definitely not all). And then there’s shopping, trying to squeeze gifts into the budget, not to mention battling traffic, long lines, and crowds. If just thinking about the holiday season brings up feelings of dread, you’re not alone. If you find yourself yearning for the New Year just to have it all over with, a little mindfulness and self-care can help you get through it, and maybe even enjoy it. Here are some strategies that may help.
***Note: If you read this blog post and think “she is making this seem WAY TO SIMPLE than it actually is”, please call me or another therapist to set up an appointment. People who experience extreme stress, depression, anxiety and/or have had trauma would benefit from more support than this blog post provides.***
This too shall pass
Some people enjoy the hustle and bustle of the holidays, while others dread it. If you’re among the latter, accept that the next few weeks are going to be rough, but remember that it’s just for a few weeks and you’ll get through it, just like every holiday season that has come before. Sometimes just taking a deep breath and acknowledging this can help.
Take care of yourself
It’s easy to get caught up in the moment and feel overwhelmed by it all. Paying attention to how you’re feeling can help you take care of yourself before it all gets to be too much. Take time to give yourself what you need. This may mean stepping outside and taking a deep breath, sitting down with a cup of tea, or leaving the party early to get some much needed rest. If you just want to be home one night and watch TV (or YouTube) with your PJ’s on, it would be the truth to tell people that you have plans. Just because those plans are with yourself, doesn’t mean they aren’t valid plans.
Be thankful
When you’re feeling overwhelmed, take a moment to think about what you can be thankful for. If your work schedule is hectic, take a moment to be grateful that you have a job in our crazy economy. If you’re stuck in traffic, take a moment to be thankful you have a vehicle that gets you where you need to go. You can choose to go through it thinking about how horrible it is or you can choose to go through it thinking about how lucky you are. So unless you have a way of fast forwarding time, you are going through it, so trying to go through it with positive thoughts is sometimes a little bit easier.
Ask for help
Do you find yourself hosting the family for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner every year? Cooking and cleaning can be stressful, but you don’t have to do it alone. Get your family to help with those chores, or ask them to bring a dish or two. It’ll take some of the load off of you. By lowering your own stress, you can enjoy yourself and your family more, and you’ll be more fun to be around.
Say no
You don’t have to go to every party to which you’re invited, or participate in every holiday event. Pick a few that are most important and say no to the rest. Same goes for hosting that holiday dinner for the family. Do you really need the whole feast, or would it be more fun to have a snack buffet and let everyone help themselves through the day? Many people put themselves through all of this because of their memories of their parent’s doing similar things, but over the years, the holiday dinners have taken a more casual tone. A lot of people who go all out for holidays force themselves to not eat all day and by the time dinner is ready, it is hard to enjoy the holiday. Then they end up eating so much that they are overstuffed and sluggish after dinner. So thinking outside of the box can sometimes be helpful. Offer a potluck, a snack buffet, or start a new tradition that might prove to be a lot more enjoyable for everyone. If you choose to do the old fashion approach to the holidays, remember SELF-CARE!!!
Remember, the holidays are stressful, but you’ve weathered the season before, and you will again. With a bit of mindfulness and a few strategies, you may even find yourself enjoying them this year.