Surviving the holidays

Christmas can be a stressful event for many of us. Not everyone feels comfortable around family! And with it fast approaching, you may find yourself growing anxious about how to manage.

Here are my favourite tips for managing your mental health during the holidays:

1. Take regular breaks

If you’re visiting family, it might feel like you need to spend every second with them. But by taking regular breaks, you can relieve some of that pressure. So whether it’s walking the dog, making the teas or taking the bins out, there could be moments you can seize throughout the day to give yourself a break. Changing it up like this can lower your stress levels and help you feel steady as you move through the day.

2. Make space for self care

If things are busy, this might feel difficult! But by going to bed early, or arriving at breakfast late, you can create some time to journal, watch Netflix in bed, call a friend, or just breathe. Connecting with meaningful or energising things, can help you feel balanced and refreshed. This is especially important if you’re struggling with grief or mental health issues.

3. Simplify

It feels like there are so many things to do around this time. So it’s good to take any chance you can, to simplify your to-do list. Can you do all your gift-buying in one session - perhaps by wandering around a single supermarket or department store, making quick decisions? Can you reduce how many people you’re seeing around this time - perhaps there’s a few friends you can make more time for in January? By simplifying what you choose to do, you have a chance to reduce overwhelm.

4. Know that you have survived this before

Heading for a family Christmas may bring about a sense of foreboding. Perhaps there’s a regular argument that comes about, or an awkwardness around the dinner table. By reassuring yourself that you’ve survived all previous interactions with them, you can build your confidence in your ability to cope. It’s also good to consider stepping away if things get tough - you don’t have to stay in the room for poor treatment.

5. Think about what you’d like to do differently next year

Perhaps you forgot how tricky it is to get through this time. Or perhaps you over-committed yourself, and now you’re finding it impossible to get out of your obligations. Have a think about what you’d like to do differently next year, to make it easier on yourself. Perhaps it’s a trip to see some people in November, or a shorter family visit. Write it down in the notes app on your phone, to really clarify your ideas. What does a more comfortable Christmas look like? How can you make more space for yourself next Christmas? 

I hope these ideas were interesting, and I wish you the best of luck in managing through this time. If you’d like to work with a therapist in the New Year, perhaps on your family relationships and keeping boundaries around your needs, you can find me at cosytherapy.com .

Warmth and wishes,

✨ April ✨

Cosy Therapy