5 Tips to Take Care of Yourself During the Holidays
For some, the holiday season may not always be the most wonderful time of the year. While it can be a time of joy and connecting with friends and loved ones, it can also be a time of stress and sadness. If you feel anxious or sad this holiday season, know we all feel stressed from time to time - there’s more pressure and more to do - all things that can take a toll on your mental health. Keep reading or download our Surviving the Holidays flier for a few tips to take care of yourself this holiday season.
Focus on What You Can Control
Many things can try to upset your holiday celebrations - maybe the weather forecast changed and now so have your plans or maybe someone reacted differently than you expected. Many things that try to throw us for a loop are unfortunately out of our control. So, one of the best ways to take care of yourself this holiday season is to stay focused on the things you can control - your thoughts and your actions. You can’t change the weather or how other people behave, but you can change your perspective and your response. Take ownership of those and let all the other stuff go.
Keep Healthy Habits
The holiday season gets busy. There are events to attend, gifts to buy, cookies to make, family and friends to visit. It can seem like the ‘to-do’ list never ends. When things get busy, it gets easy to neglect your routines and habits. But maintaining your healthy habits can help stabilize your mood and reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. It may seem counterintuitive to use what little time you have for these things, but if you start to feel anxiety bubbling up, consider if you are getting a good night’s sleep, staying hydrated and maintaining your exercise routine. If not, make time for them. You may find you get more done because you are able to be more focused and productive.
Create New Traditions
Holiday traditions can add meaning to our celebrations and hold a strong place in our heart. They can also cause added stress if they are not adding joy to your celebration, or if you feel incredible pressure to institute the perfect tradition. Remember, it’s perfectly acceptable for traditions to change over time. If it is causing you extra stress, consider creating a new tradition. Try something new! It can be anything you think is fun.
Make Time for Yourself
It’s no secret that this time of year you probably feel overwhelmed and stressed trying to get everything done. You may feel like you don’t have time to take care of yourself. But consider this: you don’t have time not to take care of yourself. Our hurried selves are often not our best selves. We give out of an overflow of what we receive. If we are running on empty, we have nothing left to give. Take care of yourself this holiday season. You deserve it. Schedule some time for you - go on a walk, read a book, take a nap. See if you notice a difference in yourself when you do.
Ask For Help if You Need It
If you feel like you need help, you probably do, and it’s OK to ask for it. You are not an imposition. You are not weak. Decide what you need and ask for it. For example, “Could you watch my kids for a few hours on Saturday while I go shopping?” or “Could you pick up this list of items from the grocery store?” Asking for help can be hard, but people tend to underestimate others’ willingness to help. Try asking for help, even if it’s for something small.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, help can be reached 24 hours a day, seven days a week, by dialing or texting 988.