Holiday Stress and Blues?
Tools for Managing Stress and the Holiday Blues
While this season is often a happy time, it's important to acknowledge that this time of year can also bring about increased stress and feelings of sadness, referred to as the holiday blues. I want to provide you with a few tools and support to navigate these challenges.
The holiday season can be joyous but also intensify mental health concerns. The pressure to meet expectations and manage numerous obligations makes these feelings more persistent.
Here are some tools to help manage stress and the holiday blues as you continue to serve:
Manage expectations: Learn to say “no.” Setting boundaries is normal and healthy.
Plan Ahead: If you know a situation will be stressful, picture how you will successfully cope with it. Write down your plan and consider taking healthy breaks like listening to music.
Do Something for Someone Else: Continue to serve by volunteering for good causes in your community.
Look for free activities to enjoy: Take your dog for a walk, play board games with friends, or go for a run.
Understand that perfection doesn’t exist: This time of year, social media explodes with pictures of seemingly perfectly cooked meals, loving families and gifts that look like they took hours to wrap. Don’t compare yourself to others. The reality behind these images may be quite different from what you see on the screen.
Set differences with others aside: Focus on forging healthy connections.
Make a budget: Make a budget and stick to it.
Don’t Over Schedule: There’s only so much time in a day. Don’t pack too much into a short amount of time.
Try to keep up healthy habits: Find ways to stay active and consider limiting consumption of alcohol.
Reach out for help if you’re starting to feel overwhelmed: No matter what you’re experiencing, there are resources and support systems to help you.
Be flexible and give yourself a break when you need it: Sometimes plans change, remain flexible, adapt when situations don’t meet your expectations, give yourself time to make decisions, take a breather, or take some time away from others when you need it.
Don’t Wait. Reach Out: Let a fellow member, your officer, or myself know how you’re doing. Ask for help for yourself. Keep an eye out for one another. Don’t struggle alone or let someone else do it either.
Happy Holidays, stay safe! I’m here when you need me.
Yours in Service,
Sean Gartland
Sean Gartland, Chaplain
(262) 352-9805 Seangartland2009@yahoo.com