Coping With the Holidays

We came across this article, first published by our friends at Municipal Research and Services Center nearly a decade ago, and thought its suggestions for how to enjoy the holiday season were well worth repeating!

The holidays bring a multitude of feelings - joy, good cheer, high hopes, disappointment, frustration, sadness, loneliness - to name just a few. Sometimes this array of feelings is difficult to handle and can cause people to experience holiday "blues."

The increased demands of shopping, parties, and family reunions can cause holiday stress before and during the holidays. And post-holiday letdown can lead to excessive stress and anxiety after the holidays have passed.

There are some simple, positive steps we can take to help make the holidays more balanced and less stressful. Here are a few suggestions gathered from various sources:

• Keep expectations for the holiday season reasonable and manageable. Pace yourself. Organize your time. Be realistic about what you can and cannot do.
• Enjoy your holiday even if it's "different than it used to be." Life brings changes. Celebrate those changes.
• Accept the fact that the holidays won't make problems go away and won't be an answer to all that ails you.
• Try to maintain a positive outlook. Look for good things to do and people who make you feel good.
• Focus on the things that are really important to you. Enjoy those things and participate in "the moment" without being preoccupied with those things of lesser importance.
• Minimize your alcohol intake. Excessive alcohol can make you feel more depressed.
• Play. Find time for yourself. Nurture yourself. Look for ways to relax and have a good time.
• Do something for someone else. Be more forgiving and tolerant. Your compassion and kindness may be just what someone else needs.

Have a joyous, healthy, and stress-free holiday season!

 
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