Crystal Villegas M.A., LCPC
Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor
The holidays are approaching once again. This can mean a variety of things to people. Some people may feel excitement and joy at the thought celebrating and spending time with family members. They may love the idea of decorating their homes, watching those holiday movie classics, and baking holiday treats.
Others might feel anxiousness, stress, or loneliness; especially if they either have no family to celebrate with or find that their family members cause them stress. They may find it overwhelming going from home to home, and spending money on gifts. If you find yourself in the second group, just know that you are not alone. It is not uncommon for people to seek counseling during the holidays to process some of these thoughts and feelings. To help navigate the season, here are 6 tips to consider.
- Identify what the holidays mean for you. Not everyone feels the same way about the holidays, and not everyone celebrates the same. That is okay! It is important to figure out what is important to you so that you can better set boundaries with others and have the holiday season you truly want.
- Speaking of boundaries, set your boundaries! Communicating with friends and family members can be nerve wrecking, but it can also bring a sense of empowerment and peace when it comes to how you spend the holidays. Remember that you cannot please everyone, so release the pressure of trying to do so.
- Create a budget. Between gifts, holiday parties, Secret Santas, and charity events, the holidays can get quite expensive. Create a realistic budget for yourself and keep track of your spending. And do not be afraid to decline to participate in certain activities. This helps eliminate the stress of having to pay off high levels of debt at the beginning of the new year.
- Create some type of calendar or to-do list. Sometimes we unintentionally burn ourselves out committing to too many events or running from store to store gathering ingredients for a Thanksgiving dinner. Having a calendar or to-do list helps you plan ahead, and can reduce anxiety.
- Have compassion for yourself. Sometimes it is simply not in the budget to travel to visit loved ones. Other times we are reminded of the loved ones who are no longer with us to celebrate with. These examples can leave us feeling lonely or sad. Honor your feelings and seek support from others.
- Allow yourself to enjoy the season. It always seems like the holidays come and go so fast. Let yourself be present, and try to let go of things you cannot control.
If you find that you need a safe space to process deeper issues that arise during the holidays, you can seek support through counseling. With the help of a therapist, you can identify tools to help navigate the season.