Holiday Stress Survival Guide
Earlier in the Holiday Season, Kara joined the wonderful Kimberly from Being UnNormal to tape a live podcast about surviving the holidays. The holidays can be a stressful time for many people. Here are some handy tips condensed from that podcast to assist with the holiday stress of this time of year.
Manage Boundaries
- Physical- Regardless of relation, power, or if they bought you a gift. You don’t have to hug! (And neither do your kids!)
- Time- Don’t overextend yourself. Nine holiday parties, a Christmas concert, the nutcracker, and four different holiday meals is too much. Check in with yourself. Prioritize. Choose a couple.
- Emotional- You don’t have to listen to your racist Uncle Larry. You don’t have to join in on self-deprecating conversations about food and weight.
Manage Expectations
- Have a conversation (or several!) with your partner, family
- Discuss gifts- # of gifts, costs
- Holiday related labor- Practice good communication
- Societal Expectations- Pinterest Moms, Making it Magical, etc.
- Own the hustle- If you are a Pinterest Mom, awesome!
- Own the chaos- If you just remembered to order Holiday cards, nice work!
- Try to remember that you don’t have to keep up with anyone.
- Take an inventory of your stress. What brings you joy about the Holidays? What drains you?
Manage Grief and Pain
- The holidays can be troublesome for many reasons. Past trauma, estranged family, grief, recent breakups, finances, stress.
- It’s okay to not feel festive.
- It’s okay to bow out of gatherings if you don’t want to put on a happy face and some reindeer antlers.
Happy Holidays from all of us at Ancora. Please remember to take care of yourselves and give us a call if needed.
