The holidays are fast approaching, and people are scrambling to make sure they can finish their work or tasks before the end of the year. For many people, this will be a combination of trying to buy gifts for their friends and relatives, as well as trying to ensure they clear their work so they can take a short break before as the year draws to an end. This is a time for family, friends, get-togethers, and holiday cheers.
However, during this busy period, we need to be mindful of everyone around who may be struggling through this season. What happens during this time is that we get busy and do not notice when others around us are alone, depressed, and needing help. They may be invisible to us, due to the business of the year, but their needs are still real.
Studies has shown that stress and anxiety will be heightened during the holiday season due to routines being interrupted – by travel, guests, parties and the holidays themselves. This can agitate and easily cause distress. So we need to be mindful and reach out to people around us who show signs of distress, or who seem to be withdrawing.
Make sure your friends and family are not isolating themselves or finding excessive excuses to meet and mingle. Ensure you are including people in the small things as well as the big things so that they feel connected, wanted, and important. Include them in family food preparations, decorations, family games and challenges; even if they don’t join in, they can see you are making the effort. Many times, this is enough.
Be more involved with your family and friends
It is inevitable that your stress level may increase as the year draws to an end, but be mindful of creating an emotional distance with your family and friends. Instead of people withdrawing from you, it might be you that is withdrawing and not realising it. It’s so easy to lose yourself during the bustle of the holidays.
Don’t let your packed daily schedules impede on this opportunity to unwind from your hectic schedules and reconnect with your family members and friends. Plan outings or simply take a much-deserved vacation by pampering you and your loved ones. Share with them your worries, grievances or anything that has been bothering you.
This time, reach out for your own sake. Get your child of family member to teach you how to play a new game or participate in holiday activities such as baking, cooking or carolling. Memories, especially joyful ones, can fortify relationships with your family and friends. This can increase your level of happiness when you have memories to look back on.
The holiday seasons are a mixed bag for a lot of people. For many, it can be exciting and good, but for many others it could be lonely and depressing. It’s normal for the festivities to drain out our energy, but we have to be mindful and careful to take care of each other and ourselves to ensure we create more good memories than bad memories.
Join us at College of Allied Educators to learn how you can unlock your innermost self to find success and happiness during this season and the coming new year.
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