With the holiday season just around the corner, we must remember that it’s an important time to recover, relax, reconnect with loved ones, and celebrate together. During the holiday season, it is easy to get caught up in the stress and chaos that can accompany this time of the year. Already demanding lives become even more hectic as additional shopping, cooking, and spending combine to add even more anxiety. For most people, the result can be overwhelming. This is where holiday resilience comes in.
Holiday resilience is known as the ability to manage stress and maintain balance during the holiday season despite the additional demands that are usually placed on an individual. This includes managing financial stress, emotional stress, family conflicts, and scheduling demands. It is about having the coping skills and emotional intelligence necessary to navigate the holidays with grace and joy.
Considering the last couple of years, the pandemic has only increased the need for holiday resilience as we all strive to adapt to the “new normal”. With covid 19 still playing a big role in society uncertainty and adaptability have become primary themes in people’s lives for the past three years. But there are several tools and practices that you can try this year to help overcome the festive fear.
1. Plan: Make a list of tasks and plan out the holiday season. Make sure to include time for yourself and family activities.
2. Prioritize: Take some time to prioritize your tasks and create a timeline for when you need to get each task done.
3. Set boundaries: It is important to set boundaries for yourself and your loved ones. Make sure that you respect each other’s boundaries and be clear about what you can and can’t do.
4. Take care of yourself: Make sure to take the time to take care of yourself. Get enough sleep, exercise, and take breaks when needed.
5. Reach out for help: Don’t be afraid to reach out to family and friends for help. Everyone needs a little extra support during the holidays.
6. Set realistic goals: Set realistic and achievable goals for the holidays. Setting goals helps trigger new behaviors, help guides your focus, and helps you sustain that momentum in life.
7. Be mindful: Be mindful of your thoughts and feelings. Acknowledge them but try not to get overwhelmed by them.
8. Reflect: It isimportant to look back at 2022 and ask yourself what went well? What was challenging but successful? What has been difficult and frustrating for you? Reflecting helps you to develop your skills and review their effectiveness, rather than just carry on doing things as you have always done them. It is about questioning, in a positive way, what you do and why you do it and then deciding whether there is a better, or more efficient, way of doing it in the future.
So, this Christmas, take some time out to check in with yourself like we often do for others in our life. And of course, have a Merry Christmas from us all at Pinnacle Life!
