HOLIDAY CHEER OR FEAR?

19 Dec 2018

Have you been walking around with an extra pep in your step as you think about the coming holidays? Have you been day dreaming about more time with family, sharing delicious meals, perhaps giving and receiving presents or getting outside and enjoying the snow? Doesn’t that all sound lovely? Let’s get real, for many of us this is the exact opposite of the way that we feel before the holidays. Even those who consider themselves lucky to be in a good spot in their lives might find themselves stressed and taxed at this time of year. With that in mind, I have compiled some suggestions that can help you to get through this holiday season while keeping your self and your needs in mind.

Firstly, this is a perfect time of year to work on being kind and gentle with yourself. There will likely be increasing demands socially, financially, practically and emotionally, so it is important to check-in with yourself and feed yourself supportive and encouraging words. Consider your self-talk leading up to, during and after events or particular days (i.e. Christmas Day, New Years Eve). This can be an opportunity to combat something hurtful that came your way or put downs that you might find yourself dishing out mentally.

This time of year can also be fraught with a sense of loss or heightened sense of not having what we hoped we would have. Loss can be with regards to not having loved ones around us who have passed on or even a sense of grief around what our childhood was like or relationships that didn’t work out or aren’t where you would like them to be. Give space to these memories and emotions and try to lean into them as opposed to avoid them; this will be your key to feeling less burdened by the heaviness of it all.

Consider ahead of time how you would like to manage any issues that arise with family members. Perhaps there is a family member who can be judgemental or overly intrusive; decide how you might go about responding and setting healthy boundaries. You have a right to ask people kindly to not discuss certain topics with you or provide unsolicited opinions or advice. Being able to set boundaries allows others to know more about what you need and expect from them while also hopefully giving you a sense of empowerment.

Determine pockets of time for self-care. Self-care can be anything that helps you to feel soothed and peaceful. This might include taking a hot bath, reading a book, journaling, going for a walk, having some concentrated alone time, taking a nap or trying to fit in a solid 8-9 hours of sleep. This time for self-care can be the key to rejuvenating you and allowing you to put your best foot forward when you move onto the next event or transition back to work.

I hope this helps to give you some tips for a more pleasant holiday season as well as permission to consider what you need most to survive this time of year! Always remember, if you think that you could benefit from a ‘one on one’ discussion about this topic or others, feel free to book a free complimentary 30 minute session by booking ONLINE or calling (519) 265-8035.

Happy Holidays, Folks!

Alicia Gillett, MSW, RSW

Image: Photo by freestocks.org on Unsplash