When your mind wanders into holiday land, does it hear the sound of jingles or feel the blues? No shame if you picked the blues. Think: eating and drinking more than usual, trouble concentrating, or lethargy to name a few. Apparently, this tends to start in November and last through the new year with 44% of women and 33% of men feeling stressed, forced joyfulness or higher expectations during the holidays (according to the American Psychological Association).
Let’s not forget we’re still in a pandemic, and the mental health layers run deep as in…already existing loneliness, isolation, stress and depression. You name it.
If you’re in the blue, here’s what you can do
- Find ways to release harmful emotions
- Create reasonable expectations
- Put self-care first
- Honor grief
- Remember the positive
