It is the most wonderful time of the year, right?! For some, maybe so! This time of the year for many is full of decorating Christmas trees, opening gifts with family and friends, and continuing on with old family traditions that have been around for years and years. For others, the holidays raise feelings of sadness that they aren’t able to spend time with those they love most, loneliness in feeling they aren’t understood by their loved ones, and worry. So much worry. Worry that their family members may not respect their boundaries they have set around the holidays, or that they can’t provide what they did last year for their family members and kiddos due to financial hardships, and so on. It is so important that we remember to always have grace with ourselves, but especially this time of the year. Here are some ways to practice patience and grace with yourself this holiday season:
Giving Yourself Permission To Protect Your Peace This Holiday Season
It’s okay to set boundaries. Whether it be physical, emotional, financial, or time boundaries, do what feels best for you. Take time to reflect on what is important to you and how you would like to spend your time this holiday season. Maybe that is with your biological family! Maybe it is with friends! Or, maybe it is with yourself. Whatever it may be, protect yourself and know that it is okay to do what YOU need to do.
The Gift of Friendship
Many people experience feelings of loneliness and isolation around the holiday season. It is important to remember who the people are in your life that provide safety and security. Lean on those people! Maybe grab a coffee, have a movie night, or simply give them a call to chat about life.
Self Care
It is always important to care for yourself, but especially at this time of the year. You have overcome so many obstacles and challenges over the past year, and you deserve to take time to reflect and praise yourself for showing such resilience and strength. One way to practice self care may be by creating a routine. This could be a morning or night routine that allows you time to yourself before you start or end the day. It could also look like moving and fueling your body. It may even be taking a break from social media to practice being more present in the moment. Self care looks different for every individual and so it is important to personalize it to what best fits in your life.
Many feelings are felt around this time of the year, and each of those feelings are valid. Whatever you may experience this holiday season, remember to take time to care for yourself and reflect on the growth you’ve made as we close out the year of 2023!