Ways to Take Care of Yourself During the Holidays

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The holidays are a time for gatherings with family and friends, but spending every spare moment with those you love can often lead to stress or feelings of being overwhelmed. Instead of telling yourself that this is how you have to feel during the holidays, it’s more important to take time for yourself when you need it. In today’s post, we will provide you with a few different ideas of how you can take care of yourself this holiday season so that you don’t start the new year in a slump.

There are many different ways you can take care of yourself, whether that’s reading a good book, getting a massage, or even talking through your frustrations with a licensed therapist at Long Island Counseling. We offer a variety of different services, including couple’s therapy, individual therapy, and more. If you are interested in learning more about our methods, or you would like to schedule an appointment, give us a call today!

Listen to Your Needs

It’s no secret that the holidays are the busiest time of the year, and there is often more to do than there are hours in the day. From baking cookies and wrapping gifts to attending party after party, it’s easy to start feeling overwhelmed. Instead of dealing with the stress and frustration of everything you have to do, listen to what your body needs to relax and enjoy the holiday season. Do you want to cancel your plans to attend a party thrown by a coworker you barely know? Would you rather spend the night watching holiday movies with your family in your PJs? Whether you need relaxation, an hour of yoga, or to cancel unnecessary tasks on your list, it’s important to listen to what you need instead of trying to make everyone happy.

Don’t Diminish Your Feelings

The holidays can bring up a lot of different feelings. One minute you can feel excited that the holidays have finally arrived, then you might feel stressed about everything you have to get done. It may seem easy to ignore these feelings, push them down, and try to move past them until the holidays are over, but this could hurt you more in the long run.

It’s just as important to validate your feelings as it is your needs. If you’re feeling tired or burned out, acknowledge this feeling and do something that will help relieve it, whether that be taking a nap to improve your energy, giving yourself the rest of the day to sit back and relax, or asking your loved ones to lend a hand with everything you’re trying to do.

Set Boundaries

This time of year, everyone is maxed out of pretty much everything — maxed out of energy, patience, stress, and even money. Even maxing out of just one of those items can leave you feeling drained and make you enjoy the holidays less. This year, do yourself a favor and set boundaries and limits on just about every task you need to accomplish. For example, one of the easiest things you can do is set a limit on how much you will spend on gifts and activities. Saving money doesn’t mean you have to limit the gifts themselves, it just means you have to be a little more creative.

Instead of spending money on gifts for all of your friends, family, and neighbors, consider doing a Secret Santa with your family so that you only have to buy one gift and make some holiday treats for everyone else. These gifts will help you save money, and you’ll be able to make them a little more personal.

Be Open to New Traditions

You may have certain traditions that you can stick to year after year, but that can also change as the years go by. Loved ones who were once a part of your traditions may have passed on, or you may not be with your family for the holidays for the very first time. Traditions often have good memories associated with them, which can make it difficult to change up your routine. If you can’t practice the same traditions this year, it may add even more stress to this already stressful time.

Instead of living in the past and feeling sorry that things won’t be the same, allow yourself to be open to new traditions. This is especially important if you and your spouse are celebrating your first holidays as a married couple and trying to participate in a number of different traditions. Consider creating new traditions or compromising on past traditions to ensure that everyone has a good holiday.

Schedule an Appointment at Long Island Counseling!

If the holidays are getting the best of you, then it may be a good idea to schedule an appointment at Long Island Counseling. We offer a variety of services, including couple’s therapy and individual counseling. Discover the help you need to enjoy the holiday season without all the stress, and give us a call to schedule an appointment!

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Long Island Counseling

Long Island Counseling
Lisa Lempel-Sander LPsyA
Licensed Psychoanalyst
221 Hollywood Ave
Douglaston NY 11363

Contact Us Today!

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