Navigating Emotions During the Holiday Season

The holiday time is typically characterized as the most wonderful season where everything and everyone seem to come together in unison for good cheers, celebration and merriment. But for plenty of people, these months are a confusing melange of conflicting emotions that don’t always mesh well with the pervasive joyousness. These are feelings that we all feel, however learning to understand and deal with them is one of the keys to our mental well-being around this time.

The Pressure of Perfection

Socially driven expectations are perhaps the largest factor in getting holiday blues. Between decorations to rival a West Elm catalogue and Pinterest-worthy family festivities, some of us may feel like good ol’ Santa is breathing down our necks. For those who are unable to get by on willpower alone, this pressure can cause stress, anxiety and a sense of inferiority.

Reminiscing and Grief

The holidays are such a bittersweet time when loved ones who have died, continue to haunt us. For many of us the loss of loved ones makes this grand holiday even more lonely and sad as well. Remember, it is perfectly normal to feel this sadness and nostalgia.

Financial Strain

The bad news is, the holiday shopping stress can be further compounded by financial woes. The pressure to purchase gifts, throw parties and participate in the endless celebrations can stress your budget for sure. A potential way to alleviate some of the pressure from this financial burden is by coming up with useful methods for celebrating that don’t involve burning through your wallet.

Seeking Connection

But during a difficult time, having connections with others can really help. Reaching out to others — friends, family or anyone you can connect with in the community this is good way of befriending yourself and alleviating feelings isolation that might just show up over the holidays.

Tips to Healthier Holidays

1. Manage Expectations: Accept perfection to be an illusion. Pieces that pay homage so strenuously to the ritual of ‘flawlessness’ start tending towards formaldehyde gloss, and they have a discernible aroma about them; when everyone is aiming for perfect performance on every front almost all the time — there ceases to be any life or juice escaping from between straightened pages.
2. Practice Self-Care: Make time for yourself amid all the madness. Do things that give you peace of mind / relaxes your brain such as reading, working out or even just sitting and being quiet.
3. Feel Your Feels: Recognize you whether they are happy or sad feelings. That is normal to not happy always.
4. Start a New Tradition: If the old ways are painful for you, go ahead and start an alternative that fits both where your life is now and what you can sustain.
5. Monitor Your Social Media:Social media can fuel this negative perception of self. Stepping away from the platforms can create clarity in what your own holiday experience looks like.

Conclusion

Joyous as the holidays can be, they can also trigger a long list of other feelings that are not so jolly. Recognizing and naming their feelings, reaching for a connector when needed to talk about what is coming up for them emotionally, practicing self-care will help people cope more easily with this time of year. Remember that you are NOT the only one that is feeling like this, and allowing yourself to achieve balance through the Holiday season will allow part of your experience to be remembered. Be it a joyful or more meditative celebration, simply accepting your own truth is enough.