This season is the time of year for countless social activities, holiday shopping and quality time with loved ones. This busy season can also be filled with long to-do lists, lots of family obligations, overbooking yourself and all that related stress! It is helpful to keep a positive attitude when things feel a bit chaotic, but it is also important to acknowledge that the stress of the holiday season is a real thing!
Whether your holiday season is filled with little kids running around the house, college kids coming home insisting that they are “adults” now or you’re hosting a holiday party for friends, it can be a challenge to stay jolly during the so-called happiest time of the year! That’s why it’s so important to check your mindset and make sure you’re taking care of yourself, too!
Here is a list of five tips for staying positive during the holiday season. The good thing is you don’t have to do all five to help keep a positive spirit. Each tip can help you stay cheerful and thankful during the most wonderful time of the year. If one of the tips catches your eye, don’t keep it to yourself. Share these tips with your friends and loved ones so that they can also have a positive and festive holiday season this year and in the years to come!
Top five tips for staying positive during the holiday season
Begin a gratitude journal – A gratitude journal is a great way to remind yourself how lucky and fortunate you are during the holiday season and all year round. Write down what you are grateful for and think about ways you can thank your loved ones around you. Make it a routine and start or end each day writing down what you’re grateful for. The neat thing about doing this is that if you do it every year, you can look back at past years’ gratitude journals and see what you were thankful for then.
Get involved with a local charity – Spend a day feeding the homeless or passing out gifts to families. Seeing how others live or celebrate the holidays may help remind you how fortunate you are. You’ll also be able to put a smile on someone’s face, which will put a smile on your face, too. Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance partners with Firefly Children & Family Alliance who is looking for sponsors to purchase gifts for kids in need.
Don’t compare yourself to others – Everyone has their own traditions for celebrating the holidays. Happiness is not measured by the beauty of your decorations, your award-winning pie or the number of gifts you give or receive. The holiday season is about being with family, friends and loved ones that accept you for who you are. This is the perfect time to delete social media off your phone and actively live in the present. With the time you save from scrolling through social posts, you could also pick up a book you’ve been wanting to read or write in your new gratitude journal.
Celebrate your goals this year and every year – It's easy to forget about your health goals during the holiday season with the abundance of desserts, treats, snacks and meals that you may not typically eat. This is the perfect time to check in with yourself, remember the goals you set at the beginning of the year and focus on what you want your end result to ultimately be.
Stay connected with family and friends – Reach out to family, friends and co-workers this holiday season. This time of the year is also the perfect excuse to catch up and reconnect with those you haven’t reached out to recently; if you can visit them in person, it’s even better! The joy of being together can provide support for yourself or loved ones who may be struggling. It’s as simple as a call to say, “hello,” which can make a difference for everyone.
The importance of mental health awareness during the holiday season
The holidays can be a hectic season filled with family, food, parties, shopping and travel. For most, this is a joyful and exciting time. But for some, the stress, commitments, overeating and overspending that go hand-in-hand with the season can steal that joy. It is important to check up on yourself during these crazy times and make sure your mental health is being taken care of. If you find yourself in a dark space, go back to the tips above to start fresh and get some of that positivity back into your life during the holidays.
We wish you the happiest of holidays and hope your holiday season is filled with love, joy and positivity!