The holiday season isn’t all fun and games. It also can be stressful. In this blog post, you’ll learn how to relax and be happy during the holidays. The holiday season is a time of peace and tranquility, a time to spend with family and friends, a time to enjoy the brisk winter with a nice cup of coffee or a warm cup of hot chocolate.
This all sounds nice, doesn’t it? This is an idealized version of the holidays. It’s what we see in movies, TV shows, and on album covers featuring Michael Bublé. The thing is, this idealized version of the holidays we see is not always the real version of the holidays we get. In fact, this ideal version of the holidays gives us a lot of expectations.
We expect the delightful holiday season to be delightful—and spent happily together with friends and families. But what we get is not always all candy canes and sugar plums. Movies like The Holiday or Love Actually don’t capture the true Christmas we all experience.
Movies like Jingle All The Way starring action hero Arnold Schwarzenegger, about a father who can’t catch a break looking for a Christmas toy for his son, seem to be more at par with the actual holiday experience that many of us go through: stress. In this blog post, we will be discussing how to relax and be happy during the holidays— something easier said than done. But before we dive into the how-to, let’s dive into the why!
Stress and the Holidays
Why do we have stress during the holidays? Despite what Holiday cards may say, the holidays are usually a stressful time. But why is that? There’s all this great music, and all the candy and treats—shouldn’t everyone be in lighter spirits?
As stated above, some of this might be based on expectations—but I’m getting ahead of myself. A survey conducted by the American Psychological Association said that 38% of people suffer from holiday stress.
American Psychological Association also showed that:
- 69% of those who are stressed during the holidays feel they don't have enough time
- 69% of those who are stressed during the holidays feel they don't have enough money
- 51% of those who are stressed during the holidays feel the pressure to give and receive gifts
Another survey conducted by Principal Financial Group found that 53% of people felt financially stressed due to holiday spending. It’s true, there are a lot of expectations when it comes to the holidays. Not only financially (your kids want the “bestest presents ever!”), but also the pressure to feel “jolly.” Sure, we’re stressed.
But Santa Claus—who has to fly around the entire world in one night and give presents to all the children, all while being on every commercial trying to sell us soda and working at department stores—isn’t stressed a bit. Talk about unrealistic expectations. If the big jolly man still is jolly after all of that, why can’t we be jolly?
As stated above, the truth is, anytime you set yourself up with high expectations, you are setting yourself up for failure. When you strive to be in the ideal mood, it’s hard to reach that ideal mood. This is coined the “happiness trap” (which sounds like a Hallmark movie, doesn't it?). These stresses can actually manifest into symptoms.
Beginning from November and continuing even into Valentine’s Day, these stresses can manifest themselves into physical symptoms. These symptoms can have a dramatic impact on the body, as well as lead you into a cycle of negative emotions associated with the holidays. This is why it’s so important to recognize that these are all common things that we all feel.
These symptoms can include:
- Headaches
- Sleeping problems
- Fatigue
- Difficulty concentrating
- Short temper
- Upset stomach
- Aching muscles
- Loss of appetite
- Loss of productivity
One issue during the holidays is feeling alone in our feelings. But as the statistics show, a large swath of people feel exactly the same.
You don’t have to feel alone with your Christmas blues this holiday season. Instead, try to find a sense of relief. And learn how to relax and be happy.
How to Relax and be Happy this Holiday Season
These tips and tricks on how to relax and be happy this holiday season are designed to help you readjust your mind and spirit so you can be a happier you, without feeling the pangs and pressure of the holiday season.
Take Time For Yourself
Topping the list on how to relax and be happy this holiday season is taking time for yourself. The holiday season may be about the gift of giving, but an important part of it is to remember that you also need to give yourself the gift of peace and quiet, especially when your family shows up and you need to take a breather.
The holiday season may come with a lot of invitations and a lot of needs to address family and friends. But it’s important that you focus on self-care. This can be anything from journaling to meditation to yoga. Take care of yourself this holiday season—you’ll see a huge benefit!
Say “No”
This may be easier said than done… well, actually saying it is the problem. There are many reasons why we don’t say “no.” FOMO, or fear of missing out. Fearing others won’t like us if we put our foot down. Even disappointing others can be another reason.
But it’s really important that you allow yourself to make choices and decisions. Sometimes, the holidays can feel like an unstoppable force, but the real truth is, you have control. Just taking a sense of control of things and saying “no” to an invitation could really help destress you—it can also give you the time needed for self-care.
Be Patient with a Hint of Kindness
The holidays are all about spending time with friends and family. This can be a good thing. This can also (at times) be a bad thing. This means seeing relatives that we might only see once a year, friends that we haven’t seen in some time and experiencing alternate opinions and viewpoints that we may not agree with.
Aunt Whatsit might be saying something about a political view you completely disagree with; Uncle Whosit might be commenting on your choice in relationships when you think he should be minding his own business. Being patient with a hint of kindness means that you are being kind and nice to them.
By expressing kindness, taking a deep breath, and being patient, you are relieving the stress and tension in the room and perhaps—just perhaps—making the holiday season a little better.
Manage Gratitude and Expectations
The phrase “you get what you expect” is not exactly right. Most of the time, you don’t get what you expect and this could have negative consequences. If you expect to get a promotion and don’t, you will feel a sense of great loss.
By managing your expectations, you can always be pleasantly surprised. This leads us into gratitude. Instead of high expectations, express gratitude for what you do have. By changing how you think about things, the happier you will become and the easier dealing with the holiday season will be.
Don’t Have All the Sweets
Yes, holidays are about delicious treats. They’re literally everywhere. Just try not to overdo it. We all know sugar can be gratifying, but it also can be equally ungratifying.
Too much sugar can mess with your natural hormone response and insulin levels. Combine this with a lack of sleep and anxiety and you have a bad mix. Instead, try to keep your sugar intake low. It’ll really do wonders for you.
Sleep More
During the holiday season, it can be hard to find the time you need to rest. You’re trying to balance your work as well as your personal life. Things can easily get tangled during the holidays. Adding more sleep to your schedule and making sure you get the rest you need will help relieve anxiety.
40 million Americans suffer from anxiety. Sleep is a great aid. If you’re having trouble sleeping and waking up in the morning, you can always consider magnetic energy comforters to help you sleep more soundly and wake up more refreshed.
Meditate
This falls into self-care. Meditation can help center your mind and body. By taking time to meditate, you are developing techniques and strategies to help easily cope with what the holidays may send you.
Incorporate in your routine gemstone heat therapy to help relieve tension and stress, such as the Rainbow Series Far Infrared Ray (FIR) Mats that’s designed to help recenter your energy.
Enjoy the Holidays this Year
Now that you know how to relax and be happy during the holidays, it’s time to use these tips and tricks so you can embrace the joy of the holiday season.
The holidays may not always be happy all the time, especially this year, but there are a lot of things you can do to experience joy. Just remember, self-care is one of the most important and essential aspects for finding inner peace and happiness. And happy holidays from us here at HealthyLine!
