Holidays are supposed to bring joy and boost your mental health. This is because such are the times when you take a break from work and focus on celebrating the season with your loved ones. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, as holidays also come with their share of stress.
This article outlines a few tips to help you to enjoy a stress-free holiday season.
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Spend Time with Your Loved Ones
Isolation and loneliness are significant causes of stress, anxiety, and depression. One way to avoid such feelings is to spend quality time with your loved ones this holiday season. In other words, avoid isolating yourself during the holidays and try to connect with loved ones and friends as much as possible.
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Create a Self-Care Regimen
Self-care can make you happier by increasing your personal satisfaction. Take advantage of your free time this holiday season to care for yourself more. The best way to approach this is by developing a self-care routine and sticking to it. The regimen should be comprehensive to improve all aspects of your health, including physical and mental. A skin-care routine, a workout schedule, and healthy foods are some of the things you can include in your self-care regimen.
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Reflect on the Things You’re Grateful For
Practicing gratitude is not only proven to release stress, but it enhances our perspective on life. The holiday season can leave people feeling overwhelmed, so focusing on the positive moments can help reduce some of that tension. Jotting down 3 things you’re grateful for daily, telling those you love why you’re grateful for them, or practicing a gratitude exercise are all easy ways to incorporate gratitude reflection into your routine.
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Acknowledge Grief
The holidays can be an especially difficult time when you are missing someone important to you. Whether you are missing someone who has passed away, or a relative you aren’t able to see, feeling sad is a completely natural response. Giving yourself permission to feel your emotions is an imperative aspect of acknowledging and working through grief. Consider honoring the person you are missing during your holiday celebrations.
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Build Your Emotional Intelligence
Feeling overwhelmed by the holiday season is very common. Tuning into your emotional well-being can be helpful in better recognizing your needs and regulating your feelings. Having a higher connection to your emotions is the best coping mechanism in stress-inducing situations.
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Tap Into a Sense of Play
It’s easy to be consumed by the chaos of the holiday season. Oftentimes, the various holiday traditions can start to feel like a chore. Remember to bring a sense of child-like fun back to the season. Make time for the things you really enjoy doing this time of year, like watching holiday movies, partaking in family games or puzzles, or doing a winter sport like ice skating. Regardless of the activity, making time for play can help balance out the stressful times.
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Commit to Growth
As the end of the year approaches many people begin to focus on self-reflection. Now is the perfect time to reflect on the year behind you and the fresh start of a new year ahead. Consider your strengths, imperfections, and how they can guide your personal growth. Now it’s time to set those empowering goals for 2023.
Feeling Stressed Already? Help Is at Hand with Genesis!
The key secret to enjoying a stress-free holiday season is to do things that will improve your mental wellness while elevating your joy and happiness. If you’d like to pursue a holistic wellness program that incorporates physical, mental, and spiritual elements, contact us at Genesis Performance. Our time-tested strategies can help you reach and maintain the optimal health and vitality levels you’ve always desired!
