Well in Mind: Managing Holiday Stress
- Acknowledge your feelings: Recognize any sadness, grief, loneliness, or anxiety that might be present.
- Reach out: If you are lonely, seek out community. If you are stressed, talk to friends or family about your concerns. Try volunteering to foster inspiration and stay connected.
- Be realistic: Things don’t have to be perfect, or like they were last year. Traditions change and grow with families. Get creative on how to adapt favorite traditions and brainstorm new ones.
- Set aside differences: Accept friends and family as they are, even if they don’t live up to your expectations.
- Stick to a budget: Decide how much you can spend on food and gifts before you start shopping. Don’t buy happiness!
- Plan ahead: Set aside time for shopping, baking, and connecting with others. Make to-do lists in advance.
- Learn to say no: Saying yes when you should say no leads to resentment and feeling overwhelmed. It’s okay if you don’t feel comfortable participating in every event you get invited to.
- Don’t abandon healthy habits: Have healthy snacks before holiday meals, get plenty of sleep, maintain regular physical activity, engage in mindfulness and deep breathing, limit or avoid tobacco, alcohol, and drugs.
- Take a breather: Make time for yourself, even if just 15 minutes alone with no distractions.
- Seek professional help if you need it : Call Well In Mind at x6187 for more in-depth support.
