The holiday season is around the corner and for many people, it’s an opportunity to take a break, connect with friends and family, and reflect on the year. However, this season can also bring about its own set of challenges such as stress, overconsumption and social pressure. Our routine is thrown off and we are all just trying to survive one social gathering at a time. We’re challenged to stick to our financial, health and time management goals but the holidays sometimes beg us to overindulge until January first. This all or nothing thinking can lead us into stress and regret. Let this be the year you are intentional about managing holiday stress. This guide will offer you a values-based approach to support you in managing your stress amidst the overwhelming amount of detours from your routine.
1. Visualization
First, take a moment to reflect on how you’d like to feel at the end of the holiday season. Do you want to feel refreshed? Rejuvenated? Financially sound? Sluggish? Likely not the latter. Use this exercise to envision your future self so that your present actions can be informed by how you want to feel versus momentary impulses. This helps ground you and create a roadmap for the behaviors that align with your values. It is no secret that this time of the year encourages over consumption. By consciously choosing how you want to feel, you can navigate the holiday season with your overall well-being at the forefront. Do this visualization as many times as you need to adjust to how the season unfolds for you.
2. Honor Your Routine
Disruptions in our routine can increase stress levels. While it’s nice to have time off, the lack of structure can affect our progress toward our goals. So, to stay somewhat within the guidelines of what we are working towards, try to keep a semblance of a routine going. This includes waking up and going to bed around the same time and honoring your movement routine. We can’t avoid stress altogether but maintaining a routine can help us manage it more effectively. Honoring our routine is an expression of self-care, which is a mental health staple.
3. Identify Your Values
Reflect on what the holiday season means for you. The time off allows for increased opportunities for connection, whether it is with ourselves or our loved ones. When we can clarify our personal meaning of the season, we can anchor ourselves in what is important to us. When you find the whispers of overindulgence setting in, remind yourself of how it might make you feel afterward and repeat the phrase “connection over consumption” to offer a quick reminder on what truly matters.
4. Flexibility Is Your Friend
Remember the concept of all or nothing thinking in the introduction of this article? If we try to be regimented with our goals, we may become so focused on being disciplined that we don’t actually get to enjoy this time. Conversely, if we decide to disregard our goals, we might find ourselves in a mountain of stress, both physical and financial. If we want to survive this holiday season with our mental health intact, then we have to remind ourselves of the importance of being flexible. You can have a plan and have compassion for yourself if things don’t go as planned. Ask yourself: What does being present during this time look like for me? Take deep breaths and come back to your values, these moments are fleeting and what’s important is experiencing joy that sustains you. Embracing flexibility is the key that allows us to navigate the season with ease and enjoyment!
Alyssa “Lia” Mancao
Alyssa “Lia” Mancao is a licensed mental health therapist and the owner of a Los Angeles-based group practice specializing in treating anxiety and depression. In addition to her work as a therapist, she is a writer for various media outlets and a corporate wellness speaker. She earned her bachelor’s degree in sociology from Cal Poly Pomona and her master’s degree in social work from the University of Southern California. While Lia focuses on therapy, her practice also offers holistic services, such as Reiki energy healing, recognizing the mind-body connection in fostering well-being.