Why it matters: Let’s be honest, for most people the holidays are a very stressful time of the year and especially after the last few years, it can feel even more heavy
- Burnout: Even a year after the pandemic, most people are dealing with fatigue and burnout.
- According to the American Psychological Association, as of January 2022, nearly 3 in 5 people report feeling mentally and emotionally exhausted. This phenomenon has even been termed the “Other Pandemic”. (via https://www.valleyhealth.
com/trending/exhaustion-other- pandemic)
- According to the American Psychological Association, as of January 2022, nearly 3 in 5 people report feeling mentally and emotionally exhausted. This phenomenon has even been termed the “Other Pandemic”. (via https://www.valleyhealth.
- Family & Politics: Heightened political divide creates stress around conversations with family members with opposing viewpoints
- Holiday expectations: The societal pressures of hosting, decorating, gifting, etc
- Recession: Recession can create additional stress for gifting
What we’re suggesting:
Rather than just “dealing” or getting in survival mode during the holidays, give yourself the GIFT of bringing your own joy back to the holidays. Permission to pivot from what they “should be” to what you want them to be.
How to do this:
- Ground yourself in your intention: In an ideal world, what FEELING(S) would you want to feel during the the holidays (ex. joy, peace, connection, relaxation, comfort, etc)
- List each feeling and define what that feeling means to you. These feelings now become your intention for the holidays
- Assess your plans: Take stalk of your current plans to see how they align with your intention (THE FEELINGS)
- What part of your current holiday plans align with your intentions (the feelings you wrote down)
- Do you want to keep this or change/enhance in any way to be in more alignment?
- What parts don’t align with the intention (THE FEELINGS)?
- This is where you give yourself permission to pivot and/or cancel them. What would you like to do instead to align with your intention?
- What part of your current holiday plans align with your intentions (the feelings you wrote down)
- Acknowledge any fear or pressure that may be stopping you from embracing your intention:
- You’re human and it’s normal to have some “stuff” that is stopping you. NO JUDGEMENT. Fear lis kind of like the monster under the bed – the more we don’t look at it, the scarier it gets. But when we face it head on, we realize it’s just a litttle dust bunny that needs some attention and clearing.
- Identify the thoughts that are limiting you:
- Ex.
- “My in laws are going to judge me”
- “This is how we’ve always done it, so it has to be this way”
- “I’m a failure if I don’t cook, host, etc”
- Ex.
- Give yourself permission to choose differently: You are in control of your thoughts, feelings and actions (everything else is out of your control). So you have the opportunity to take control of your own experience. How can you show up empowered within what’s in your control so you can actually enjoy the holidays in the way that you want (in alignment with your intention). Because at the end of the day, you can’t control other people’s opinions or experiences, but you can control your own. And you’ve been through enough the last couple of years, you deserve to enjoy your holiday season.
