Halloween and Thanksgiving have officially ended, which means we are now quickly approaching the Holiday season! Here are three ideas to help you navigate the holiday stress because you deserve to experience those inspirational messages of “JOY, PEACE, & BELIEVE” meticulously displayed on your table tops and porches.
The holidays are a time of giving and focusing on others. We give our time, money, and gifts, which often leads us to overextend our capacities. We’re then left feeling like an empty cup of exhaustion and agony. It’s important to protect your space, know your limits, recognize stressors, and enforce healthy boundaries to help you avoid holiday spirit burnout. Festive celebrations with friends and family are always exciting but can be exhausting. Taking a night off to recollect and rest is completely acceptable. Remember, saying no is okay; your friends and family will understand.
Our schedules are usually less structured during this time of the year; we are either traveling, our children are on Christmas break, or we’re occupied with our never-ending task list. It makes sense that the last thing on our minds is taking care of ourselves. We may be aware that daily self-care is essential in maintaining our mental health, so it’s especially important to implement self-care into your routine during the holidays. Self-care can be as simple as getting enough sleep, maintaining a healthy diet, or just walking outdoors. Here are some simple ideas you can do to practice self-care.
One of the most common triggers of stress is financial pressure. It’s important to set realistic expectations. Even for the most frugal, the additional expenses during this time of the year are inevitable, but there are sensible things we can consider to avoid going into debt and extending holiday stress into the new year. The first thing you can do is set a budget and track your expenses. Planning for those expenses you foresee can help you avoid unnecessary spending.
For many of us, the pressure and expectations we set for ourselves can be overwhelming to the point we question if it’s actually “the most wonderful time of the year.” This is an opportunity to ground ourselves by enforcing healthy boundaries, practicing self-care, setting realistic boundaries, and staying within a budget so we can find peace during this season.
