Coping with Holidays

There’s something about the holidays.

They certainly come with some extras:

• expectations

• high emotions

• hope!

• misunderstandings

• nostalgia

• perceived obligations

• festivities

• tensions

• family

• fun

• BUSY

(just to name a few)

 I’ve written a lot about coping during the holidays and getting ahead of holiday stressors, probably because the holidays seem to be the perfect storm for people trying to work on their own mental health.

The combination of extra stressors (remember, even fun things can be stressors), family, memories, and events & to-do’s that knock us out of our regular routine can create challenges across multiple contexts for anyone trying to break dysfunctional patterns in their lives.

Everyone has got their “stuff” in life, which is often exacerbated during the holiday season.

I am not going to re-hash everything I have written about coping during the holidays, but I will link it all at the bottom in case you want to revisit any of those articles.

Today I just want to send you a season’s greeting.

Whether your holidays are hectic or happy, I wish you well and extend hope for you.

I so hope that you can cherish the good moments and cope with the tough ones.

I hope you find ways to feel connected to someone.

I hope you move through this season with some semblance of self-care.

I hope you slow down enough to be present with your thoughts and feelings, whether they are focused on the joy and wonder of the season or you are sitting with some grief and sadness that you hold under the surface.

I hope you can give yourself grace and take a step back from any urgent perception that drives you towards people-pleasing and perfectionism.

I hope you plan for next year and put in some thoughtful reflection on what you love about your life as well as what changes you might want to make.

For those who celebrate Jesus’ birth, I hope that you remember that He came to be with us in our mess.  He is with us. 

 Merry Christmas!

For further reading on strategies for holiday coping:

• Christmas is Messy

• 10 Ways to Manage People-Pleasing and Perfectionism at the Holidays

• 10 Types of Self-Care

• Re-defining Normal

• Journal Prompts for Advent

• Don’t Let Your Brain Ruin Your Holidays (Revisited)

• Creating a Habit of Gratitude 

• Get Ready for the Holidays with Intentionality (Revisited)

• 10 Ways to Reduce Anxiety by Setting Realistic Big Goals

• 10 Things to consider in creating your guiding principles for the New Year

Jennie Sheffe is a National Certified Counselor ™ who helps women find freedom from anxiety and peace in their chaos. She sees clients virtually in the state of Pennsylvania, or in her Carlisle, PA office. She offers Christian counseling and EMDR Therapy.