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| No More Holiday Blues |
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The holidays can be a fun, festive and joy-filled time. A time to peacefully come to an end of a year and gracefully begin the new. Sometimes the hectic atmosphere and our perspective on the holiday can leave people stressed, tired, irritable and overwhelmed.
There is shopping to be done, food to be prepared, guests to entertain. When it all becomes too much, some people cope by drinking to excess, over-eating or over-spending. Getting good quality sleep can be a problem as well.
Spending time away from friends and family can get a person down in the dumps, too. And with TV and the media bombarding us with cheery messages, we may begin to feel sad and uncomfortable for not being in the holiday spirit. Some may think "There is something wrong with me."
Fortunately, there are steps you can take to fend off the holiday blues. Having realistic expectations is among the most important. Here are a few tips to cope:
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- Limit your intake of alcoholic beverages. Too much can add to symptoms of depression. If holiday depression lasts more than two weeks, seek help.
- Address your habits that may lead to later problems (over-spending, over-eating, etc.). Talk about them and make a plan to modify the behavior.
- Express your feelings about the holidays with others attempting to find a way to enjoy these days as much as other days in your life.
- Forgive family members that may irritate you during the holidays. This is a good habit to get into throughout the whole year! If you choose not to forgive at this time, do not place yourself in uncomfortable situations. Use discretion when accepting invitations to gatherings.
- Financial problems are a key cause of holiday stress. Make a budget and stick to it!
- Deep-seated memories can unconsciously sabotage your holiday enjoyment. Talk about the hurt feelings and address the negative memories. Do not let negative situations of yesterday ruin your present moments. Make new, pleasant memories today and this holiday season. Each day we can enjoy and be happy (be it a holiday or not) or we can complain and be unhappy. The choice is yours. An attitude of gratitude will be a big step in this process. Make a list of 10 things you are grateful for and look at it every morning. If there are things that you desire or want to change, put them on another list and make a plan on how to achieve them.
- People tend to over-commit themselves during the holiday season. Know your limits, set your boundaries and keep them.
- If you are single, learn to enjoy yourself and your own company. Start new traditions and do special activities that you like to do. Learn to be content with your situation as it is today and focus on what you have, not what you don't have. If you don't like to hang out with you nobody else will either!
- Exercise and stay balanced mind, body and spirit and most importantly enjoy. Don't sweat the small stuff and it is all small stuff!
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