“Have a holly jolly Christmas… it’s the best time of the year...", or is it?
Did you know 64 percent of people report a decline in their mental health during the holidays?
If you find yourself stressed, depressed, or in a funk this December don’t beat yourself up. There is a good reason for this. Be it the arrival of the dreary days of winter or the moderately dysfunctional family gatherings, the Holidays are primed for mental health decline.
Let’s look at some tips from mental health expert (aka Michelle Menke LISW-S) on how to plan and prevail over the holiday blues in this week’s tip!
1. TREAT YOURSELF LIKE SOMEONE ELSE YOU LOVE. Why is it that most of us treat other people better than we treat numero uno? We can’t be our best for others unless we treat ourselves with the same love and attention we might give to a loved one. The sad truth is, most of us take better care of our beloved pets than we do ourselves. Think about it, if the dog or cat is suffering from an ear infection, we are quick to get them help. If we are suffering, we tell ourselves to suck it up and put everyone else first. The quicker you operate at your best the more helpful you will be to others!
2. GRATITUDE BEFORE ATTITUDE. Attitude is a choice. Gratitude is a state of mind. The holidays are a great time of year to start a new tradition of writing down all the things you are thankful for. By design, humans are loss-averse, meaning we tend to focus more on things that can harm or disrupt our lives. A daily gratitude list is an easy way to reverse the narrative towards positivity. “Change the way you look and things and the things you look at change”- Wayne Dyer
3. PRIORITIZE YOUR TIME. Manage your time and prioritize to avoid “overbooking.” When we overbook our highly demanded time, it can be extremely stressful. We end up offering less to more and in return not enjoying the very things we should be grateful for. Ask yourself if the item on your to-do list fits within your pre-determined guard rails. If it doesn’t then it is time to practice that “NO.”
4. BE REALISTIC WHEN COMPARING YOURSELF. Social media and tv make a hero out of everyone! When we compare our lives to our perception of the lives lead by others, we inevitably feel let down or inferior. Remind yourself that struggle is universal! Instead, make a comparison to yesterday and reward the areas of you have improved.
5. SET BOUNDARIES WITH FAMILY MEMBERS. Sometimes when we get together with family members we notice our stress level elevate. This is because unlike social media connections, our families know our weaknesses and how to "push our buttons". Set boundaries ahead of time with family members about what topics you want to avoid discussing at this year’s holiday party!
TAKE ACTION!
There is something about a good therapist that leaves you saying “duh.”
Trust me, I’m married to one.
What I mean by this is that a good therapist makes things so simple and obvious that you leave the discussion thinking, “of course.”
But, with simplicity comes brilliance!
We aren’t likely to act on the advice we aren’t in agreement with.
While the above tips may seem obvious, if you found yourself relating then chances are you might benefit from putting them into action.
Quickly scan the list above once more and pick one that you can commit to implementing this Holiday season. And with that you'll have your tip of the week!
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