The Holidays. That time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s full of celebration, family and friends. Everywhere we are told that this should be a joyous time filled with happiness, fellowship and harmony, but that’s not always the case. Sometimes the holidays are just, well, blue.
Here are some tips from the Mayo Clinic, WebMD, and Psychology Today for dealing with those blues:
- Be reasonable with your schedule – don’t overbook yourself. This will only make you more stressed and tired which will in turn make you cranky and irritable.
- Be realistic – things don’t have to be perfect or just like they’ve been in the past. Be open to creating new traditions.
- Be on a budget – decide how much you are going to spend during the holidays and stick to it. Remember that some of the best gifts are when you give of yourself.
- Be with others – if you are unable to join with family or friends, find ways to reach out to others. Volunteer to serve a holiday meal, visit a nursing home.
- Be open to the simple pleasures – enjoy an evening at home watching a movie, eating cookies, and drinking hot chocolate. Take a tour of your neighborhood and enjoy the decorations.
- Be accommodating – accept your family and friends as they are and be understanding that they, too, may be experiencing the same holiday stressors.
- Be half full – when you start to feel blue, take a few gratitude moments. Think of all the positives around you, a brilliant blue sky, a sparkling snow fall, a day off from work, and allow yourself to be content.
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Submitted by Tina Comston, M.Ed.