12/13/2022
1. Set Aside Time for Yourself
Sometimes, you need to decompress and assess where you are and what you’re feeling. Carve out time to focus on your mental health during the holidays. Pro tip: Hide out in the bathroom for a quick break when visiting family.
2. Keep a Regular Sleep and Exercise Schedule
Rest is so, so important. It allows you to recharge and help your body function optimally. Maintaining a regular sleep schedule will make you feel great, keep you awake, and ensure you are on your way to feeling your best.
Adding exercise to your day is also a great way to manage your mental health. Activity can release dopamine and make you feel good — plus, your body will thank you for keeping it moving! Even walking the dog each day can make a difference. You’ll be glad you did.
3. Set Boundaries
It can be hard to speak up, especially in front of friends and family. Too often, we feel like our relationships need to be perfect or uninterrupted. That goes double for families or friend groups that are close-knit. However, issues DO occur — even with the ones we love. Setting boundaries is so important, and it doesn’t mean you’re anything but considerate of your mental well-being, so long as you do so with care and respect for all involved.
Speak up if something bothers you, be gentle but sure, and stand firm in your beliefs. It’s okay to feel your emotions, share them, and separate yourself from anything that can make maintaining your mental health challenging. Do what you can; don’t settle or try to over-compensate with something when you can’t.
4. Accept Your Feelings and offer yourself validation
When you picture the holiday season, a few things come to mind: snow, presents, and decorations. Plus, everyone seems very happy. It’s almost like it’s a requirement! You MUST take the time to assess your well-being and search for your feelings. As the adage goes, it’s okay not to feel okay. You may feel not-so-jolly during this time, and we want you to remember that it’s not only okay, but that you should take the time to accept how you feel and work through your emotions as they are.
5. Try Relaxation Techniques
When you feel overwhelmed, it’s a good idea to relax and destress as much as possible. Connecting to your body and mind to care for yourself can make stressful times easier. You can go large or small with these! Deep breathing exercises, yoga, walks, you name it; Taking the time to relax will help you feel great and rested and is always worth the effort.
6. Keep Expectations Manageable
As you go through holiday gatherings and interact with family and friends, you may not hit every mark with your interactions. Maybe someone isn’t feeling as festive as you. On the other hand, maybe someone is too excited about the holidays for your taste. It’s valid for all parties involved to feel their feelings and experience things as they do.
Making manageable expectations keeps you balanced and saves you from disappointment. Take the time to assess how things are going, how they could go, and prepare for each outcome. You’ll be glad you thought of everything and aren’t surprised by anything that can spur difficult emotions. If you’re unclear about what to expect (a swap gift price, your holiday bonus, who to expect at dinner), take the time to communicate and measure your expectations against reality.
7. Spend Time with Supportive People
One key component of a healthy life and mind? Surround yourself with people who lift you, support you, and care about you. You don’t have to tolerate people that hurt you or don’t appreciate your value. This holiday season — and every other day you can — make sure you’re spending time with people who see you and accept you for who you are.
