You better not shout
You better not cry
You better not pout
I’m telling you why
… holiday (stress!) is coming to town.
Make a hundred lists
Check them twice
Kids acting way more naughty than nice
…. Sanity is leaving town
No more time for sleeping
You lay in bed awake
The holidays … bad or good?
They’re good for goodness sake!
The stress of the holidays is real. The presents to buy, the guests to host, the miles to travel, the meals to make, the expectations to live up to. Isn’t this supposed to be a joyous time of celebration? Why has it become a stressful slog of impossible expectations?
Level down your stress during the holidays with these tips:
- Reset your expectations. You don’t need to buy so many gifts. You don’t need to attend every event. You don’t need to make every meal. You don’t need to. You don’t need to. You don’t need to. It’s more than ok to say “No, I can’t” or “Can you help me?” You don’t have to do everything and everything doesn’t have to be perfect. Setting your own expectations on the holidays can change everything.
- Set a budget and stick to it. The #1 holiday stressor is money. Make your holidays more manageable by staying within a pre-planned budget and not going into debt over unrealistic retail expectations. You can be creative with the gift-giving part of the holidays by doing gift exchanges or making something homemade.
- Balance togetherness with aloneness. The second most frequent holiday stressor is relationships. Yes, we get to enjoy extra bonding time with family, but make sure to balance it with enough alone time. But you may be on the “needing more togetherness” side of the spectrum, especially if you’ve lost a loved one this past year. Striking that right balance of togetherness and aloneness is important for your mental health.
- Eat right and exercise. Food and mood are so intertwined. When you eat healthy, you feel good. The same goes for exercise. When you keep your exercise routine going through the holidays, your mental health benefits.
- Practice mindfulness or meditate. Take a moment each day to pause, center yourself, and reflect. Think about the day ahead, or look back at the day that was. Thank the Creator for the good things from your day. If you blink, you’ll miss the joy of the holiday season and what really matters.
- Visit a mental health professional if needed. If you feel frequently anxious, sad or depressed, seek help from a professional.
For other ways to practice healthy holiday habits, visit cdc.gov.
First published on Native Reach™
