Five Ways to Prioritize Your Wellbeing and Manage Holiday Stress
Many people feel stress wrapped up along with their holiday cheer. The holiday season, as wonderful as it can be, can also be full of demands, expectations, financial strains, resurfaced grief and fatigue. Here are five ways that you can prioritize your well-being and manage these stressors effectively.
How Manage Holiday Stressors Effectively
1. Find moments in your days to notice how you are feeling.
Be mindful of physical signs that stress and anxiety are taking hold. Is your stomach hurting? Perhaps your fists are clenched? Or maybe you're experiencing headaches. Whatever they may be, stop, notice the symptoms, and determine their contributors. Then determine what you have control over and when mindfulness practices may be of assistance.
Are the holidays resurfacing grief, sadness, or anxietys? Notice those feelings and set aside a space. Practice non judgment about your body and mind’s need to feel and express these emotions.
It’s okay to experience uncomfortable emotions like sadness and grief during the holidays. Another way to utilize feelings like grief may be in reaching out to others who may be alone or suffering this season and extend kindness their way.
2. Utilize reason to address stress.
In my sessions with clients, I often encourage them to “fight” with their anxious voice. That fight is not to stomp the voice down, but rather to convince it otherwise.
Like the way a parent knows best for a child, you can teach your anxious voice to think more critically and increase its ability to sit with discomfort for better to come.
Your fighting words should consist of questioning along the lines of:
“That’s not true! Here’s how I know why …”
“I would not expect that from a loved one ….”
“I am going to do it anyway and see what happens… The worst that can happen is… If that happens I will….”
Acknowledge that the holidays will not be perfect- and that is okay! Would you expect anyone else who is hosting/baking/gifting to be perfect? Why would you expect that of yourself? What memories have you had that have been “imperfect” but brought you some of the most joy?
3. Say, “no.”
Saying, “no” can be challenging for many of us! But keep practicing, because it is a skill to have year-round for your own well-being and for your relationship with others. It is important to be honest with yourself ahead of time- before invitations are extended. Whether it be in determining how many event invitations you are willing to accept in a weekend or how many secret Santas you would like to participate in- you are being kindest to yourself and to others by determining how much you would like to do. Saying “yes” to things that you do want to do or have the energy to do will not allow you to be your best self.
4. Maintain healthy habits.
Your foundational habits of practicing mindfulness, eating well, and sleeping adequately will fill your tank when feelings of stress arise. Do not underestimate the extent to which these habits can help.
5. Remember what’s important.
Perhaps for you, the holidays are a celebration of faith and thanksgiving, an opportunity for reconnection, or a time for love and remembrance. Whatever they may mean to you, take an opportunity to remind yourself of them, over and over, and make them the ultimate focus.
I hope that these five tips can help support you and ground you through this holiday season to minimize stress and increase your joy.
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Written by: Caroline Masucci, LMSW
Caroline is a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) at LifeSpring Counseling Services in Maryland, and she specializes in anxiety, depression, trauma, and communication skills. She works closely with children, teens, and adults.
Photo Credit: Liza Summer, Virginia Parrotta, and Yaroslav Shuraev
Date of download: 11/18/2022
