Getting and Staying in the Holiday Spirit
The holidays mean a time for joy, family, and gift sharing for many. For others, the holidays may be a time of stress, depression, and loneliness. The following are tips on how to positively cope with the holiday season:
If you feel lonely, make an effort to reach out to others in the community. Attend community functions, volunteer, or make contact with others.
Sometimes family traditions or rituals are difficult to continue due to a change in the family structure, such as the death of a loved one. If this has happened to your family, choose a few of those traditions to continue and then be open about creating new ones.
Try and resolve differences with family and friends. Accept others for who they are and delay those uncomfortable discussions until after the holidays.
Organize and plan ahead, setting aside days for shopping, cooking, and social activities.
Not only is budgeting your time important, but budget your money also. Decide ahead of time what you can reasonably spend during the holiday season.
Take a break – relax, listen to music, rest. Engage in those things you normally do to relieve stress.
Stay healthy. Do not overindulge, eat right, and exercise.
Work to maintain as many of your normal routines as possible.
The staff of Pointe Coupee General Hospital wishes to extend a warm, safe, and joyous holiday season to all.
Source: The Mayo Clinic
