With Fall around the corner its not too early to begin to start preparing for holiday anxiety. There are ways to keep your focus as the holidays approaches. Keep in mind, that the holidays are much bigger than just Thanksgiving and/or Christmas. From hayrides to family together the increase in holiday cheer can make many people’s nerves, depressive mood, and anxiety go through the roof.
Plan Ahead
There is no way to wait until the holidays are in full gear to start planning on what will happen when anxiety calls. The best plan of action is one that is well thought out. You want to get comfortable with your plan. As you initiate your action plan and are comfortable with its full use ahead of a panic attack, family spat, shopping, or prepping it helps to calm you down. It’s like running a race.
You get more and more comfortable with you pace, it gives you the comfort that you will finish the race within the time you are prepared for. Don’t wait until anxiety has taken over fully before you find a plan. Have a plan so that it makes the sting of anxiety shorter. Nothing is worse than initiating a plan that you’re uncomfortable with to get you through a tough time.
Be Honest About What You Need
When the larger holidays creep in and you are already prepared don’t wait to execute a plan because you weren’t honest about how you felt. The way anxiety works, its not the act of anxiety but the ability to get what you need when you need it most. So be honest. What are you dealing with? How well do you trust your plan? Be consistent in listening to yourself and calm the noise around you. There is always going to be people around you who will lack empathy in your journey.
Don’t Be Afraid to Repeat the Plan
I used to get more worked up because during high stress time like the holidays, I found that I would get irritated with repetitive plans. It’s easy to be overwhelmed if you are counting the number of times, you have to initiate a plan. Its not the number of times you want to pay attention.
Its about being able to see that with the number of times you were successful with the plan. Take a deep breath and switch your view. When you are actively dealing with anxiety, its easier to allow the plan to overtake your sense of judgement. Be clear as you enter the holiday season that there’s a good chance you will need to enact your plan in several ways and times.
Develop Deeper Connections
Its important to find someone who you can lean on. Everyone has their own load especially around the holidays but there’s always one person who can be your person. Feeling like you don’t have anyone is one of the reasons why people feel alone and secluded as the holiday season gears up. Be clear on who makes you feel wanted.
Do NOT maintain relationships fake or otherwise around people who stir your anxiety. This is a rule of thumb of life on most other days but definitely during the holidays. The more you are engulfed in people pleasing activities around the holidays the more it depletes your joy. You need your cup of joy to be elevated. Keep the peace inside of you as leveled as possible.
The holidays aren’t the ball of sunshine and happiness as it can be for others. Many people are dealing with loss of life of those who are no longer here, lost of jobs and resources, and just the feeling of not ending the year the way they wanted. These feelings are strong. Be gentle with yourself. Know that anxiety is normal. Feeling overwhelmed is a part of the holiday rush. Plan to decrease those feelings.
Remain in control of your feelings as much as you can. Talk to your therapist if you need it. Keep your self-care as secure as possible. Find ways to rest during these next couple of months. Say NO when YES isn’t in your heart to give others. Don’t be afraid of what happens when you stand on your personal convictions.
