Here’s a short December thought: Let your heart be light. Let’s face it, December can quickly become a stressful time for most of us. We find ourselves dealing with excited kids, endless to do lists, conflicting engagements, fighting shopping crowds, etc. Oh yes, then there are those end-of-year projects at work. To help us cope with this month’s challenges here are a few tips.
The staff at the Mayo Clinic offered these ideas to help us avoid holiday stress and cope with depression:
- Acknowledge your feelings. If someone close to you has died or you can’t be with loved ones, accept that it’s normal to feel sadness and grief. It’s OK to cry or express your feelings. Remember you can’t force yourself to be happy just because the holidays are here.
- Be realistic. Our holidays don’t have to be perfect nor just like last year. Remember that families change and grow which often means that traditions and rituals change. Select a few traditions to hold on to, and be open to creating new ones. For example, if your adult children can’t come to your house, find new ways to celebrate together, like sharing pictures, emails or videos.
I found these two ideas from self-help author Rachel Kelly helpful:
- Pay attention to the words you say. Instead of saying “I am stressed” say “I feel stressed”. There is an important distinction between what you are and what you feel.
- Practice gratitude. Acknowledge the things you are grateful for — big and small. Be grateful even for those things or situations that at first glance don’t look so merry. You don’t know what goodie is hidden behind that thorny berry twig.
These are just a few thoughts to help us keep our heart light so we can enjoy the merry month of December.
Editorial Update: We strive to keep our content accurate and up-to-date. As part of our ongoing efforts, this article has been moved from Personal Musings to HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS on 09/14/2023.
