3 Tips for Managing Anxiety During the Holiday Season
Do you feel anxiety during the holiday season? While the holidays are meant to be a fun time for everyone, you are not alone if you struggle with holiday season anxiety. There are many circumstances that could trigger anxiety during this time of the year, like gaining weight, seeing family you don't get along with or buying presents. Read this article for three tips on managing anxiety during the holiday season.
3 Tips for Managing Anxiety During the Holiday Season
- Lower your expectations. It can be so easy to have high expectations for the holidays, which can cause anxiety during the holiday season. Movies, TV shows, and songs make it seem like the most wonderful time of the year when in reality, it could be your most stressful time of the year. Keep your expectations realistic, focus on what is important to you, and try to go with the flow. You may find that when you expect less, you get more.
- Set a budget. Money stress is one of the biggest triggers for anxiety during the holiday season. Set a budget, and do your best to stay within it. Offer to do services such as babysitting rather than giving a physical gift to save money. Giving homemade gifts also have a personal touch and are typically less costly.
- Pick your battles. If you have family members that are toxic or abusive, you always have the choice to decline to spend time with them. However, if they are just irritating and hard to be around then it is best to pick your battles. If an uncomfortable conversation comes up, excuse yourself to go on a walk. Save settling old disputes for another time and place and agree to get along for the holidays if the conversation comes up.
Struggling with anxiety during the holidays is completely normal, even if it seems like everyone is having an amazing time around you. Lowering your expectations, setting a budget, and picking battles at family dinners are three ways you can lessen your anxiety this holiday season. Do you have any tips for managing anxiety during the holiday season?
APA Reference
Eaklor, B.
(2018, December 16). 3 Tips for Managing Anxiety During the Holiday Season, HealthyPlace. Retrieved
on 2024, April 16 from https://www.healthyplace.com/blogs/toughtimes/2018/12/3-tips-for-managing-anxiety-during-the-holiday-season
Author: Brandy Eaklor
This is such an important read! Holiday stress is a very real thing and it can be made all the more daunting because there is so much pressure for "joy" and "family fun" and while those things are wonderful and great, the stress is present and real. I love that you mention setting a budget and mindful expectations. Wonderful insight and tips.