Holidays are synonymous with stress. Do you approach the holiday season with frayed nerves anticipating the obligations, the financial burden, and the let down of it all? What if it could be different? What if this year we reduce holiday stress and actually enjoy the holiday season?
Reduce Holiday Stress by Saying “No”
This holiday season learn to say “no” to some holiday obligations. Part of the stress during the holidays is that we feel we must participate in all the festivities. If we are invited, then we must go. Nope. Obligations do not have to dictate your actions.
This year, think about what you want to do. Think of whom you’d enjoy spending time with, and when and where. Think also of those you’d rather not spend time with (for whatever reason) and limit or eliminate those interactions.
Our mental health can suffer greatly when we feel forced into spending time with people that bring us down. If you can’t get out of a gathering for a particular reason, try to set a time limit with that person or group. Make a plan ahead of schedule and stick to it.
You can also reduce stress by saying “no” to some fun activities as well. Too many activities, even enjoyable ones, can drain energy and increase a person’s stress by not allowing for decompression, or down time. It’s okay to say “no” during the holidays, especially if it helps your mental health.
Stop Competing with Social Media | You Can’t Win a Fixed Game
Facebook, Instagram, and other social media sites throw perfection in our faces daily. The idea of the perfect holiday, the perfect family, the perfect house, etc. is damaging to our mental health. That perfect thing we see on social media doesn’t exist. It’s a facade. It’s a staged moment that never really happened because it was in fact staged. Staged to look perfect. Not be perfect.
This year, let’s try to accept the perfectly imperfect nature of our lives to reduce holiday stress. Life can be good. Let’s stop the comparison trap and be grateful for what we have. And maybe, just maybe, let’s forgo social media altogether (or at the very least set a time limit).
Let’s Reduce Expectations
This may not sound like great advice, but I urge you to consider this: When do you feel the most disappointed? Is it when you let go and embraced what came? Or was it when you planned every detail and expected nothing less than perfection?
High expectations lead to big disappointments. Increased expectations during the holidays are a major stress factor. What if we try to reduce our expectations? That doesn’t mean you don’t plan for the holidays, but rather, you plan and hope for the best, while accepting life as it happens.
We can’t change disappointment into happy feelings. It doesn’t work like that. But if you do have negative feelings, you can accept them. You can embrace your feelings all the while finding the joy in the little moments of the holidays. Maybe it wasn’t what you had planned, but you can accept what comes and find joy elsewhere.
Reduce to Reduce Holiday Stress This Year
Let’s make 2023 the year of less: less expectations, less obligations, less idealized holidays, less perfect.
The concept of Less is More may be a great idea for this holiday season. If we do nothing else for our mental health this year but reduce, we will already be improving the health of our mind and body from the year prior.
If we reduce expectations, money spent, and obligations we will already be improving our mental health and be on our way to a happy holiday season and a healthy start to a new year.
Therapy for Women in Canonsburg, PA
The holiday season can be hard for a lot of people. If you face increased stress and obligations during the holidays, protecting your mental health is vital. If you feel stressed or anxious about the upcoming season, please feel free to call us at (724) 503-6670 or email us at admin@inthenowcounseling.org.
If you have any questions or would like to get to know us a little better, we are here to help.
