6 Must Know Self Care Strategies To Make The Holidays Less Stressful

The holidays are something we all look forward to celebrating. Most are visiting family, vacationing, or hosting in their homes. The holiday lights and music in stores and on the radio all put us in a cheerful mood. 

As excited as we are during this time, it can also be a time that induces stress and anxiety in us if we aren’t careful. For instance, we can get stressed about wrapping up everything at work before a break, getting our home ready for relatives, or finishing our holiday shopping on time. 

In this post, I will discuss tips to help you prioritize self-care during the holidays, so you can be more relaxed and enjoy your time with your loved ones. 

1. Resist People Pleasing

We all want to be liked by people around us but to what extent are we willing to go to please people? In a podcast about learning to say no, Hypnotherapist Chloe Brotheridge shares that when people are pleasing, we may lie about our preferences, bend ourselves, and ignore our needs.

We end up resenting the people we are trying to please. This behavior, in turn, leads to exhaustion, frustration, and not being truly there for others. 

2. Have Clear Boundaries

I learned from experience that when we visit families, we can’t take on everything for them in the short duration we see them. Setting clear boundaries on how much responsibility you can take on helps reduce stress and anxiety.

We can’t solve every problem your loved one has in their lives, but you can be there and present for them. Sometimes all you can do is be a deep listener and empathize.

3. Manage Your Expectations

Most of us have such high expectations of ourselves that our disappointments can add to our stress levels when we fall short.

During the holidays, think of writing down the things you are most anxious about and how you plan to handle them. We can manage your expectations and let go of everything you aren’t able to tackle.

4. Limit Comparison With Others

Social media can be stress-inducing, especially during the holidays. Pictures of vacations, holiday decor, or LinkedIn posts about meeting most of 2022’s goals can act as triggers.

What you can plan for and accomplish in a year differs depending on your situation. Someone may be mourning a loss, and the other may look forward to expanding their family. To avoid comparison getting to you, celebrate and empathize where needed. 

5. Do Not Let Others Define Your Self-Worth

What may seem like a great accomplishment to someone may not be a big deal to others. When visiting our friends and family, we must be careful about not internalizing others’ words during the holidays.

Being the best at work may be important to someone, but being the best son or mother may be important to someone else. If your life is value-based, it doesn’t matter what others value as noteworthy. 

6. Expect Ingratitude

Holidays are a time for gifts and favors. In doing so, it’s natural for us to expect gratitude from the ones we treat special. Author Dale Carnegie talks about expecting ingratitude to avoid worrying. The only way to find happiness is not to expect gratitude but to give for the joy of giving. 

Staying happy requires constant practice. It requires surrounding yourself with positive people who align with your values. It takes regular reminders that we are in control of our own lives and not anyone else. 

Holidays can get stressful if we aren’t paying attention. We must remember that we can choose how far we are willing to bend. We have a choice of saying no to things that make us unhappy at the cost of making someone else happy. We have a choice of how we want someone to affect us. 

This holiday season, I hope you are taking the time to prioritize self-care to be more restful and a better person for your loved ones.