Navigating The Festive Season – 7 Tips For More Joy And Balance During The Holidays
The holiday season is around the corner, but let’s be real, Christmas is not always about twinkling lights and magical picture-perfect family moments. If you have ever felt the Christmas stress creeping in, know that you are not alone.
Navigating the festive season can be challenging at times, hence today we are looking at 7 powerful tips to help you safeguard your mental health, keep your balance and find more joy during the holiday season.
>>> Bonus: Confessions from a Christmas Grinch <<<
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All right, my friends, here is the truth about me, I am a bit of a Christmas Grinch. Yes!
I mean, I love all the Christmas lights, going to Christmas markets, and making Christmas cookies and I also enjoy giving presents to my loved ones, but when it comes to Christmas Day, I like to avoid the celebrations as much as possible.
If you know the feeling, this blog post is for you 🖤.
There are always two sides to the medal, and yes, the holiday season is a time of twinkling lights, joyful moments and cherished family traditions, but for some of us, it can also be a time filled with emotional challenges.
This time of the year can amplify feelings of grief, sadness and loneliness, especially for those who are missing loved ones or are currently navigating life changes.
And if you also feel the weight of the season, know you are not alone. Statistics show that approximately 38% of people felt that their stress levels increased during the holiday season.
This blog post is not about pretending that everything is ‘perfect’, it is about equipping yourself with strategies to help you find more balance and joy, honour your feelings and emotions and create a holiday experience that feels authentic to you. And yes, all this is possible and totally within reach!
Navigate the festive season with grace, self-compassion and joy.
How does holiday stress show?
Holiday stress doesn’t just live in your mind, it can also affect your physical body in different ways.
Below are a few symptoms of how holiday stress can show on a physical and emotional level:
- feelings of sadness
- feelings of loneliness
- feelings of grief
- feelings of overwhelm
- increased anxiety
- difficulty concentrating
- body aches such for example a tight neck, headaches, lower back pain, etc.
- lack of sleep
- general nervousness
- weakened immune system
- etc.
We are all different and holiday stress will show differently for everyone, however, recognizing the signs of holiday stress early allows you to take action before it spirals further.
7 Tips to help you protect your mental health during the holidays
Navigating the holidays can be challenging, but taking care of yourself is essential, especially during this time of the year.
Below are 7 tips to help you protect your mental health during the holidays because you matter and deserve to feel your best.
1. Keep up your routines
The holiday season always comes with a packed schedule. Social gatherings, family commitments, endless to-do lists, and of course, the Christmas shopping. And before you know it, your schedule is already fully booked.
Sticking to your regular habits and daily routines such as morning workouts, meal prep, self-care activities, a regular gratitude practice, etc. can help you provide a sense of stability amid all the Christmas chaos.
Make sure to keep up your daily routines and when the holiday chaos kicks in, try to adjust your daily routines to fit the season.
For example:
- swap the gym session for at-home yoga
- get up earlier to ensure you don’t compromise on your self-care and/or personal development time
- prioritize your evening to relax and wind down
- etc.
Small tweaks as the examples above can go a long way as this will help you to stay rooted and grounded during the holiday season.
Keep in mind that there are always options and alternatives, even if it doesn’t look like it in the first place. Say ‘YES’ to yourself and create these options for yourself to help support you in the best possible way.
Routines are like anchors helping us to stay grounded no matter how hectic life gets.
2. Set realistic expectations
Ditch the word ‘perfect’ from our vocabulary. A ‘perfect’ holiday doesn’t exist, unless it is a Hollywood movie.
One of the biggest sources of stress during the holiday season is the pressure to create the ‘perfect’ holiday.
Whether this is the ideal family gathering, picture-perfect holiday decorations, or the perfect gift for everyone, etc. these expectations can quickly become stressful and overwhelming.
Perfection is a myth and chasing it can often lead to disappointment and unnecessary pressure.
Focus on what truly matters to you. Take a step back and assess what you really want from the season. Do you want to spend quality time with your loved ones or do you rather want to use this time to reset and recharge?
Whatever it is that you are longing for, setting realistic expectations means permitting yourself to let go of things that don’t serve your peace of mind.
By embracing realistic expectations, you can move through the season with a sense of ease, feeling more connected to what matters most rather than getting lost in the pressure to make everything ‘perfect’ for everyone else but you.
3. Acknowledge your feelings
Holidays aren’t always happy moments filled with joy and laughter. I am sure we have all experienced this at some point.
Whether you are missing a loved one, feeling burnt out from your job, or overwhelmed with current life changes, etc. it is important to acknowledge your feelings and emotions.
Take a moment to check in with yourself and acknowledge how you feel. Let this be a moment of truth instead of pushing through and putting your feelings and emotions aside.
Journaling can be a great way to help you process your emotions or maybe reach out to a trusted friend to talk it all through.
Remember, it is ok to feel all the feels, after all, this is what makes us human. Permitting yourself to feel what you feel, can make the season much lighter and easier for you.
Should you ever need help from a professional, make sure to seek the support you need.
4. Make time for self-care activities
The best gift you can give yourself this holiday season? Time for self-care activities.
Even with a packed calendar, carving out time for self-care activities that help you recharge and relax is non-negotiable.
Light a festive candle and unwind with a good book, order your favourite takeaway and watch a cheesy Christmas movie on your couch, take an online yoga class, or simply enjoy a warm bath with your favourite essential oils.
Take the time to nurture your body, mind and soul so that you can approach the holidays with a refreshed heart and mind.
The Christmas season is naturally a time of reflection. As the year draws to a close, it is an opportunity to pause, breathe, and appreciate how far you have come and what you are looking to let go of moving forward.
Related resources: 101 Game-Changing Self-Reflection Journal Prompts For The End Of The Year.
5. Set healthy boundaries
The holidays often come with expectations that stretch us thin.
But guess what? You are allowed to say ‘no’.
Setting healthy boundaries protects your energy and well-being on many different levels.
However, most importantly, setting boundaries allows you to take control of your well-being and interact with others respectfully and healthily.
Be honest with yourself, family and friends about what you can and cannot commit to. Don’t feel guilty about saying ‘no’ and remember, it is okay to prioritize your well-being.
Boundaries aren’t barriers, they are bridges to a more peaceful and joyful holiday for everyone involved.
6. Embrace flexibility
Yes, not everything can always go as planned my friends and that is perfectly okay.
Maybe the turkey burns, maybe the weather interferes with your travel plans, maybe the gift that you ordered arrives too late, etc.
Whatever it is, instead of stressing out about these things, embrace the imperfections. And on a side note, the imperfections are often the moments that make the best memories.
Stay flexible in your mind, let things happen and allow yourself to find joy in the unexpected.
7. Create a budget and stick to it
One of the most common sources of stress during the holiday season is financial pressure. From Christmas gifts and decorations to travel and holiday meals, it is so easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of spending. Magic plastic can be a real trap sometimes.
But let me assure you, you don’t need to break the bank to create a joyful and memorable festive season.
Apart from that, financial stress can have a significant impact on your emotional well-being, often leading to anxiety, guilt and even feelings of resentment.
Setting clear financial boundaries can help give you the freedom to enjoy the season without the looming worry of overspending.
Start by setting a clear budget for Christmas gifts, meals, and other festive activities, and stick to it.
Get creative with thoughtful, low-cost gift ideas, like DIY crafts, homemade cookies, self-made Christmas cards, etc.
Remember, the value of the holidays is not in the price tag but in the love and intention behind your actions.
This holiday season, try to let joy guide your choices and keep in mind that balance is about cherishing what truly matters to you.
Confessions from a Christmas Grinch
Christmas is a difficult time for me, it always has been, however, it got even more difficult a few years ago when both my parents passed away.
And no matter how many years pass by, dealing with grief during the holidays has been a real challenge for me on many levels.
Over the years I have established a new Christmas tradition for myself which is based on putting myself first and leveraging this time of the year to reflect, recharge and set my goals for the upcoming year.
What is coming next is for anyone who is looking to spend Christmas by themselves, far away from all the twinkle lights, joyful people and oceans of presents – yes, this is for the Christmas Grinches among you.
Being alone for Christmas might sound scary at first, but to be honest with you, it is actually better than you might think.
Ok, there are still parts that I like about Christmas such as celebrating the Christmas season, by going to Christmas markets, baking Christmas cookies, putting up Christmas lights, etc. and yes, I love giving Christmas gifts to family and friends, but rather than buying gifts, I got into a habit of DIY-ing my Christmas gifts. Whether this is baking cookies, crocheting leg warmers or beanies, making candles, etc. I do my research on DIY Christmas gifts and whatever I feel drawn to, I do it. This is a great way to learn something new and it ties it back to what Christmas truly is about for me: giving from your heart.
For the actual Christmas days, I like to go away on a holiday. I started this new tradition by going on a holiday by myself and over the years, I also stayed with friends. If I stay with friends, I always make sure that they are close friends, people I know really well and consider my soul family. If I go on a holiday by myself I tend to book myself a trip to a place I feel called to. I never make an itinerary, I simply pack my suitcase, get on the plane and take it from there. I like the sense of adventure and it often leads me to places and people I connect with deeply.
Last but certainly not least, I always use the last week of the year to reflect, reset and make a vision board for the upcoming year. The end of the year is a powerful time to help you boost your personal development and growth. Apart from that, over the years, this mindful approach to life has helped me to develop a deeper sense of purpose in life in general.
Related resources: The Ultimate Vision Board Ideas – Turn Your Dreams Into Reality.
Writing this all out, I guess I am not a full-on Christmas Grinch after all, as there are certain parts I like about Christmas, but I do take the liberty to make decisions that best support my mental health during the holidays.
And from my experience, if you are open and honest with your loved ones, most of them will understand and accept your choice.
Of course, there will always be some people who don’t and think that they know better what is best for you, but that is ok, try your best to let them be. They simply have a different experience and perspective.
You standing in your truth and doing what is best for you is all that matters if you ask me.
Navigating the festive season can be challenging at times, keep in mind that you are not alone, there are many other people who feel a similar way and most importantly, know that it is ok to admit when it feels hard.
If you’re navigating feelings of grief, loneliness, or stress, give yourself grace and do what is best for you. And if this means keeping a low profile or escaping the Christmas celebrations, do it and allow yourself to celebrate a Christmas that feels authentic to you.
Thank you so much for all your support this year, I truly appreciate you. If you have not signed up for my newsletter yet, make sure to sign up for my newsletter today. Our online community keeps growing and with the newsletter, you will always stay up to date with my latest blog posts, yoga classes and yoga events. See you inside my friends!
Stay wild and until next year,
Nicolle
Featured Image: Photo by Toni Cuenca on Unsplash
Hi, I am Nicolle, a Senior Marketing professional, certified Yoga Teacher and Wellness Blogger. I am the founder of Let Your Shadow Shine Yoga and this blog. I am here to support you along your self-discovery journey, offering empowering tools like yoga, holistic well-being tips and transformative personal growth strategies.
The holidays should be a joyful time of year, but too often we are stressed about the additional expenses and trying to get everything accomplished. This is all the more reason to stick to healthy habits, get enough sleep and carving out some time for yourself. Also, I am a firm proponent of journaling. Even just 5 minutes a day can do wonders!
It really can!! Thanks so much for your comment.
Hope you are having a great holiday – Nicolle