It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
It was Andy Williams that gave us the idea of the winter holidays. “Parties for hosting” and “marshmallows for toasting” and “caroling out in the snow” it’s the most wonderful time of the year, the 1960s song that brought the thinking of how much cheer we should have during the holiday season, but the truth is that for many of us, the holidays can be the most challenging and stressful time of year. There are many who go through the difficulty of just getting through the holidays. The loss of loved ones, the challenges of being alone, and even the anticipated dread of being with family members.
There’s a reason for holidays being so stressful, and it’s far from a bedtime story. Holiday stress is overwhelming. It’s that all-encompassing feeling where we think that we can’t cope. Social isolation is another reason because of the lack of personal relationships and little to no social support or interaction. The holidays can feel for many as lonely and feeling disconnected from others. Other reasons such as grief can cause regret for what we have lost and the remorse that was done, and because grief effects the ones that were most near and dear to us, it is also all-encompassing, but also the idea of spending time with people that you may not see all year round adds an added layer of stress to the mix of finding cheer in the holidays. It amazes me that the people who we may argue with the most or hardly see, are actually the people that we end up spending holidays with from November through December. No matter what your reason may be for being less cheerful this holiday, know that there are things that we can do to help ourselves feel better.
One of the ways that has helped over the years is listening to the heart. Don’t give in to the holiday pressures. It’s okay to know that you’re not ready, but I also like to challenge myself and allow some of those painful feelings and emotions come out. I ride the waves because by letting those emotions out, I’m able to monitor them and their frequency and for how long that I have them. It helps me to know who is best for me and who’s not. We’re not for everyone, and by allowing these feelings to become aware of and to monitor your relationships so that when you can look for the support that you may need from others. It can even help you with starting a new tradition.
It’s important when getting through the stress of the season to use communication even before the holidays arrive. Try using video chat to help keep you engaged and connected well before the holidays. This can help with any awkwardness that can happen, especially if, like me, you don’t see family often. Remember to stay healthy, and if you haven’t yet, get to know your neighbors. You never know who might be next door.
The holidays are often seen as a time of cheer and celebration, but when someone isn’t feeling in the holiday spirit, it only adds to the stress that can weigh us all done. Whether feeling the holiday blues or just not getting along with family, it’s important to be mindful of how we are holding our feelings and what we do in response to the holiday season. As the song tells us that what’s meant to be is the thoughts of mistletoeing, hearts will be glowing when loved ones are near it’s the most wonderful times of year. Cheers.
