Helpful Hints for the Holidays

  • Acknowledge your feelings
  • Reach out
  • Be realistic
  • Set aside differences
  • Stick to a budget and be creative about how and what you give
  • Plan ahead to get everything done without increasing the stress level
  • Learn to say no (and be consistent not ambivalent)
  • Stick to healthy habits
  • Make time for yourself
  • Continue with appointments that help you stay healthy, especially therapies or peer support groups
  • Do something good for others
  • Do something special for yourself
  • Laugh
  • Eat with moderation and don’t give yourself a hard time if you don’t
  • Exercise or find ways to add extra movement to your day
  • Sleep
  • Pretend you are a kid again when the holidays were a wonder and filled with surprise
  • Remember the days will get brighter after the solstice and there will be more light

 

Coping Strategies

  1. Have a trusted friend, sponsor, crisis support line number available, or a supportive family member on-call.
  2. Limit the amount of parties and holiday activities you attend.
  3. Be realistic about what the holidays mean and don’t try to live up to some commercialized expectations
  4. Stop yourself from over-anything-spending, eating, drinking alcohol, staying up late, partying
  5. Stress can be negative or positive, be sure to identify which is which for you.

 

Tips For Surviving the Holidays

1.      Remember that the only thing you can control is the way you react.

Remember in families and social gatherings there will be people who say things that seem thoughtless to you or off hand remarks that are taken the wrong way. Family or friends might bring up sensitive subjects you don’t want to discuss. Be prepared to deflect their comments and re-direct conversations when you need to do it rather than confront them at the time.

2.      Get some air.

Just being able to take a break from the stress of too much stimulation is important for your well-being and to re-charge yourself. Take time to check-in with yourself so you don’t end up checking out unintentionally.

3.      Keep your normal sleep schedule.

This will help you stabilize your mood to be able to keep a check on how your mood is being affected by the change in your routine. Adjustments can be made when you are aware of what you are feeling and how the situation is affecting you whether being a guest or having guests.

4.      Keep your expectations low.

Plan only for the unexpected to happen and then it will come true. Work on acceptance of what is happening as part of the ritual of life that will become the stories to re-tell later when everyone laughs about the memories.

5.      Try to enjoy yourself.

Focus on the positive. See how the small moments can bring you pleasure. Singing songs helps you breathe fully, even if the sound if off key, it doesn’t matter. Enjoy the moment.

 

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