Holiday Survival

We are smack dab in the middle of the holiday season. This year is even more stressful. Thus some holiday survival tips will help. In addition to the usual activities and hustle and bustle, we have a pandemic to deal with.

Many people had to alter their normal Thanksgiving festivities this year. The holidays just weren’t the same with all the travel and the large gatherings. Perhaps you enjoyed it that way; perhaps you were let down that the normal traditions weren’t occurring.

Regardless, the pandemic forces us to do things differently or forge new traditions. Here are some tips for holiday survival.

Go with the flow

This year will most likely look different from last year. That is OK. It is important to respect peoples differences in how they approach/handle the pandemic. Be open to new traditions or smaller gatherings. Some people may no longer want to engage as they have in the past.

Boundaries 

If you are not comfortable with large gatherings, or the number of people at an event, then decline the invitation. Your physical and mental health are not something that should be sacrificed.

Remember, boundaries are to protect you, not make someone else happy. As a matter of fact, some people don’t like it if you set new boundaries. As a result, their behavior might escalate. They may try to make you feel guilty or whine and complain that you don’t want to do things as you always have. If you stick to your boundaries, they will eventually calm down. This is key to your holiday survival.

Lower your expectations for holiday survival

Expecting to have the perfect holiday just isn’t feasible. Aiming for good enough is the best you can hope for. People have their own agendas. You might want the holidays to look a certain way, yet others might see it differently. Perhaps you want your family there on a certain day. It may not work out for them. They may have plans of their own, or need to negotiate with their in laws.

You don’t have to do it all

Perhaps you are used to having parties, cookie exchanges, decorating, holiday cards, etc. It can be overwhelming to do all these things. Pick one or two that are most important to you, or cut down on the guest list.

Holiday entertaining is fun, and it can be stressful. An ongoing pandemic is the perfect reason to do things on a smaller scale, or not at all.

Self care

Don’t forget to take care of someone very important. That is you. It is easy to forget about yourself during the holidays, as you want to make others happy. How do you recharge your batteries? Do you need some alone time? Perhaps a massage would be helpful. Maybe you like to meditate, do yoga, exercise, cook, do crafts or engage in a hobby. Be sure to allow some time in there for you.

Time with family

The most important thing to cherish is the people who love you the most. Spending time with family members is priceless. Having downtime, watching a movie together, playing games or cooking together can bring you all closer together. We all have our own lives and it’s easy to get caught up in them.

Don’t over do it financially

Since most of us aren’t having our usual family traditions don’t feel that you have to overspend to make up for it. Things don’t make people happy. Happiness comes from within.

That expensive gift will only be shiny and new for a short time. You don’t want to dread having to pay the credit card bills when they arrive.

Ask for help

You don’t have to do it all by yourself. If you are having a family gathering, ask other family members to bring a dish or help with the meal planning.

If you are the one who always purchases and wraps the gifts, ask someone to help you. Perhaps your partner isn’t the best at purchasing gifts. But he or she can certainly help with the wrapping.

Stay away from toxic people

Do you have family members who say cruel things, or are just unpleasant to be around? Maybe you can’t quite put your finger on it, but for some reason you feel bad after spending time with that person. Guess what, stay away from them. If it’s a family member who will be at the event, try to engage with that person as little as possible. This is key to holiday survival.

Avoid too much alcohol for holiday survival

It is the season to imbibe. People are drinking more than they typically do, due to the pandemic. It may seem like there is less to do, and it’s easy to turn to alcohol. It might be fun in the moment, but not the next day.

Also, if you are someone who are in recovery, it may be more difficult to stay sober. Perhaps going to some meetings, or setting up time with people who don’t drink can help you stay sober.

The pandemic has certainly increased people’s level of stress and distress. I have had many clients call saying that they could usually handle their stress level, but COVID and the state of our country is the straw that has broken the camel’s back.

It often helps to have someone to talk to who is not emotionally involved in the situation. Please give me a call at 713-304-6554 if I can help you out.

Take care,

Debbie