The holidays are a wonderful time of year. A time for family, friends, and loved ones. A time for giving and receiving. A time for celebrating and being thankful. A time for happiness and joy. But what if you don’t have any of those things? What if you’re alone during the holidays? What if you’re struggling with depression or anxiety? What if the holiday season just isn’t your thing?
For some people, the holiday season is the most wonderful time of year. For others, it’s the most dreaded time of year. And still for others, it’s a little bit of both. No matter how you feel about the holiday season, there’s no denying that it can be a tough time for some people. So in this article, we’re going to explore some of the reasons why the holidays can be tough for some people and offer some tips on how to make it through the most wonderful (or dreaded) time of year.
One of the main reasons why the holidays can be tough is because they can be a reminder of what we don’t have in our lives. For example, if we don’t have close friends or family members to spend time with during the holidays, we might feel lonely or isolated. If we’re struggling financially, we might feel stressed out about how we’re going to afford gifts or pay for holiday travel. And if we’re grieving the loss of a loved one, the holidays can be a painful reminder of what we’ve lost.
The holidays can also be tough because they can be a lot of work. Between shopping for gifts, attending holiday parties, and preparing special meals, there’s a lot to do during the holidays. And for some people, all that work can feel like a burden rather than a joy.
But it doesn’t have to be this way! There are plenty of ways to make the holiday season more enjoyable – even if you don’t have close friends or family members to spend it with, even if you’re struggling financially, and even if you’re grieving the loss of a loved one. Below are just a few ideas:
1) Make plans in advance: If you know that the holiday season is going to be tough for you, make plans in advance so that you know how you’re going to get through it. For example, decide in advance who you’re going to spend your holiday with (if anyone), what activities you’re going to do (if any), and how you’re going to treat yourself (e.g., buy yourself a small gift). Having a plan will help to reduce your stress and anxiety about the holiday season and make it more enjoyable overall.
2) Don’t compare yourself to others: It’s easy to compare ourselves to other people during the holiday season – especially if we see them posting pictures on social media of their perfect families/friends/presents/etc. But comparing ourselves to others will only make us feel worse about ourselves and our own lives. So instead of comparing yourself to others this holiday season, focus on appreciating your own life and all that you have – even if it doesn’t look like what everyone else has.
3) Reach out to someone: If you’re feeling lonely or isolated during the holiday season, reach out to someone – whether it’s a friend, family member, co-worker, or neighbor. Just knowing that someone cares about you and wants to spend time with you can make all the difference in how you feel during this stressful time of year.
4) Do something nice for someone else: One way to counterbalance all the negative feelings that can come up during the holiday season is by doing something nice for someone else – whether it’s volunteering at a local shelter or food bank, buying presents for children in need through an organization like Toys for Tots, or simply paying it forward at your local coffee shop by buying someone’s coffee who is behind you in line
