How to Overcome Holiday Blues in 8 Easy Steps

This holiday season, you might be feeling a little blue. The crowds of people and the constant pressure to spend money just don’t seem like what you need at this time. You’ve been working so hard for so long and feel like you deserve some downtime to relax and enjoy yourself. But it’s not always easy to get out of that funk. With all these negative thoughts swirling around your head, how can we help? Well, let me tell you about 8 ways that will help combat those feelings!

1. Spend time with friends and family.

Spending time with friends and family can be more than just enjoyable, it can also help you to relax. Hire a water slide in summer and have all your friends around.  It’s not always easy to make the time for them, especially if you feel like you don’t have enough downtime or they live far away. But when we do make the effort to reach out, our mood often improves because of the positive energy that comes from being around people who are important in your life. And that’s an excellent way to combat those negative thoughts! Make sure this holiday season is different by committing to spend some time with loved ones even if it means taking an hour lunch break one day a week so you have something else on your calendar other than work commitments. Once again,  spend quality time with those you love and enjoy the time you have together!

2. Get creative – make your holiday cards, ornaments, and other decorations.

This is my absolute favorite time of year because I love to make crafts! Making your cards, ornaments and other decorations not only prevents you from spending money on these trinkets but also can be a lot of fun. Sometimes when we are feeling down it’s the most simple pleasures in life that lift our spirits. And if you’re looking for cheap ways to decorate your house this holiday season, look no further than all around you! Collect some pinecones from walks through the park, collect different colored leaves that have fallen off trees outside. If you have access to boughs of evergreen needles, then by all means go ahead and use them in crafting projects…but otherwise they’ll just cause an allergic reaction. And who wants that?

If you’re looking for ways to enjoy holidays more, why not spend some time making your cards and other decorations?

3. Donate to a charity in need this season.

The holiday season can be a stressful time for those who are less fortunate. What if we could make it a little better by giving it to those in need? Whether you give money to your local chapter of the Salvation Army or Toys For Tots or donate items that may be hard to come by during this time such as baby food and blankets, doing so will help you feel like you’re making a difference. And making a difference is what the holidays should be all about!

Donating to charity is an excellent way to beat the holiday blues because you’re making a difference. Study says that donating to charity is good for your mental health because of the warm and fuzzy feeling you get of knowing that you helped someone else.

4. Use the winter blues as an excuse for self-care – take a long bath or read that book you’ve been meaning to finish.

It’s ok to occasionally neglect your chores, responsibilities, and other things that may need to be done. The holidays are a time of rest and you’re allowed to take advantage of those opportunities as much as possible! If you want to chill out in front of the TV and eat ice cream straight out of the container for hours, go ahead and do it…you deserve it! Use this season as an excuse for self-care rather than always making an effort to meet deadlines.

The best way is to buy something for yourself that will help you recover from all of your hard work this season…hence why it’s called “self-care”. Here are some ideas:

• A new book or magazine subscription
• Tickets to see your favorite band or musician perform live
• New sheets and cozy pajamas
• A gift card for a favorite clothing store or food market
• A massage or spa voucher
• New makeup, nail polish, cosmetic accessories- whatever you find exciting!

Secrets we can all learn from are using holiday blues as an excuse for self-care. Sometimes stress and demands make it difficult for us to do things we know will make us feel better in the long run. That’s why it’s important to prioritize self-care in this season, take a bath or read that book you’ve been meaning to read all winter!

5. Watch your favorite holiday movies all day.

Sometimes you just need to get away from holiday stress. Even if it’s for a short time, watching your favorite holiday movies all day will lift your spirits and help take the focus off of obligations. You may even feel inspired by what others have done in previous movies!

Take some time out of the hectic season to relax with your favorite holiday movie!

Here is the list of the perfect movies that will surely make your day:

• Home Alone 2-Christmas Eve
• National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
• The Santa Clause
• Home Alone 1-Thanksgiving Day
• Miracle on 34th Street
• A Christmas Story
• The Nightmare Before Christmas.
• It’s the most wonderful time of the year
• Love Actually
• How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Both versions)
• Elf
• A Charlie Brown Christmas
• It’s a Wonderful Life and so much more!

You’ll feel relaxed and less stressed after watching it, not to mention inspired by all the fun things that happen in them! So go ahead and get comfortable with your popcorn and hot tea, put some blankets on for warmth, because you’re in for a good day!

6. Take care of yourself by eating healthy food and getting enough sleep.

It’s no secret that holiday parties usually involve good food and often not-so-good choices, but if you’re serious about beating the holiday blues then it’s important to watch what you eat. The simple act of eating healthy will make you feel better about yourself after the holidays are over. And when you feel better, your mood tends to follow!

Keeping yourself healthy is an excellent way to beat the holiday blues because it makes for a happy mind. When we are less stressed out physically, our mental health improves as well! So working against those high-calorie treats by making healthier choices with your diet is a great idea!

Just like food can affect your mind, so can sleep. Sleep deprivation is a common cause of depression, and it can wreak havoc on your mental health. If you find yourself feeling blue or experiencing mood swings, it’s important to see if there’s any connection between these feelings and the amount of sleep you’ve been getting.

Making sure you get enough sleep is an important part of self-care therefore it is important to set a sleeping schedule and make sure your room is conducive to sleep by keeping it dark, comfortable, and noise-free.

7. Put up decorations that are meaningful to you rather than just following tradition.

By creating your own traditions, you can create meaningful memories with those closest to you. Decorate your home however it makes you happy and does as many of the holiday activities as possible that remind you of good times with friends and family. So if making cut-out snowflakes is something that brings warmth to your heart, then go ahead and do it! And don’t worry about what others will think or how they might judge or perceive your actions–just focus on creating beautiful memories that’ll last a lifetime and beating the holiday blues in the process.

8. Write a letter to someone who has made an impact in your life.

End the holidays by writing a letter thanking someone special to you. It doesn’t have to be a long, drawn-out essay but just a few sentences letting them know how important they’ve been in your life is enough! Holiday blues can often bring up feelings of emptiness and loneliness because we often feel disconnected from loved ones that aren’t with us during this time of year.

So why not try something different this holiday season? Write a letter thanking someone close to you for being an inspiration in your life, it’ll make their day and yours too!

Conclusion

Let these 8 tips give you inspiration as well as an idea about where to start when planning out your self-care routine during the holidays. Lets us know what’s your favorite way to get into the holiday mode – We would love to hear from you!

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