How to Cope With Holiday Anxiety

Step away from the idea of holiday perfectionism! Having a "perfectionist" mindset around the holidays is a recipe for stress and worry.

Let's take five minutes to see this week in a new light. By Wendy Rose Gould & Amy Morin, LCSW, Editor-in-Chief Top of Mind How to Cope With Holiday Anxiety    From presents under the tree to hosted events to holiday cards, we strive to make the holidays feel and look picture perfect. While there's much joy in the festivities of the season, there's also an undercurrent of pressure to ensure all goes off without a hitch.   If we're not mindful, this pressure can quickly give way to feelings of stress and anxiety. Here are a handful of ways you can better cope.   While this season is meant to bring feelings of love and cheer, it's also the harbinger of holiday stress for many."  — ELIZABETH SCOTT, PHD   Step Away From the Notion of "Holiday Perfectionism" We know, it's easier said than done! But having a "perfectionist" mindset around the holidays is a recipe for stress and worry. Especially since so many things are in flux during the holidays (and even more so because of COVID and current labor shortages and supply chain disruptions). Go with the flow and try to embrace the spirit of the season. Reassess Your Commitments At first, saying yes to all those get-togethers and meals and exchanges sounds like fun, but a holiday to-do list that's too long can leave us feeling frazzled instead of fulfilled. Prioritize the commitments that bring you joy and try to minimize the obligations that detract for your holiday happiness. Make Time for Self-Care Amid the merriment, make sure you're penciling in moments of self-care. For some that might mean unstructured alone time, or for others connecting with loved ones. Nourish Your Body Don't forget to nourish your body from the inside out, as well. It's easy to over-indulge in sweets and drinks during the holidays while forgoing our usual exercise regimen. Do your best to keep a consistent schedule during this stress-prone season.   On the Bright Side Ways to Stay Positive This Week Ways to Nurture Your Mind and Body  This week, set aside 15 minutes with a loved one or your family to practice gratitude. You can write down the things you're thankful for or even share these things out loud. By focusing on gratitude, our mindset shifts from one of negativity or scarcity and instead helps us feel happy for the things we do have. Gifts can help make the season more joyful, but you don't have to spend a lot of money. In fact, research tells us it's truly the thought that counts. Consider gifting an experience to loved ones, such as a homemade pizza night, a perfectly planned picnic, or a merry walk through a lighted neighborhood (complete with cocoa-filled thermoses). If you do want to give a gift that your loved ones can unwrap, consider giving out gratitude journals this year. If you tend to have a busy holiday season, keeping an organizer can help minimize frazzled feelings. The No-Stress Holiday Organizer features calendars, checklists, budget sheets, and journal pages.     This Week on The Verywell Mind Podcast   On tomorrow's episode of The Verywell Mind Podcast, I talk with actor Skyh Black, known for his roles in "Footloose," "The Chadwick Journals," and "Stomp the Yard."   Tune in to hear him discuss how to get comfortable with uncomfortable feelings.   Follow Now: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts / RSS Read These Next How Perfectionism Can Contribute to Anxiety READ NOW 7 Ways to Develop a Healthier Outlook and Learn to Be Perfectly Imperfect READ NOW How to Cope With Holiday Shopping Stress Amid Supply Chain Disruptions READ NOW Spread the Light Share the newsletter with someone you know to make their day a little brighter. SHARE We're open to suggestions! If you have any feedback about this newsletter, let us know at feedback@verywell.com.     You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the Healthy Mind newsletter. If you wish to unsubscribe, please click here. If someone forwarded you this email, you can subscribe here!   A DOTDASH BRAND 28 Liberty Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY, 10005   © 2021 Verywellmind.com - All rights reserved. Privacy Policy