Category: Information

Happy New Year!

Wishing everyone a happy and healthy New Year!

Ways to keep sane at the beginning of the new year.

  1. Find some balance. Just because we overdo it over the holidays doesn’t mean our guilt has to take over now. The bell already rang and we can’t take back having overdone our fun, eating, drinking, or lack of exercise. There’s a reason for what we did, we were supposed to break our routine. Just get back to a routine and then make changes gradually to meet new expectations and goals for a new year.
  2. It isn’t what we do or don’t do that’s the problem. It’s what we expect of ourselves. “…because our happiness isn’t just based on reality, but rather on the difference between reality and our expectations. …sometimes it’s enough to simply change your expectation.” (Alex Korb, PhD Expectations, Dopamine and Louis CK Why everything is amazing and nobody’s happy).
  3. Winter is when some animals (endotherms) hibernate and sleep the winter away, not a bad idea for those of us who feel we are hibernating all winter anyway. For people with various forms of depression this is an acute period of sluggishness. Respect your personal metabolic reactions to this time of year and adjust your rhythms.
  4. Plan what is possible to do and complete what you start.
  5. Have winter reading available to enjoy as if you were on vacation in a warm climate.
  6. Keep your internal self warm with heating foods; warm spices, stews and soups, heat anything tasty you might have eaten cold.
  7. Refrain from isolating by calling, face-timing, emailing/texting someone you like. Don’t pressure yourself to go out if you feel unmotivated to do it.
  8. Find pleasurable activities to do to feel better about yourself and keep sharing, giving, or volunteering after the “season of giving”.

Add to your own list of kindness to self and others. Remember the Golden Rule. It works.

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.