12/20/2025
This is the time of year where we tend to let the essential self-care activities fall by the wayside, such as getting regular exercise, eating healthy meals, taking time relax and giving ourselves enough sleep.
The things you “have” to or “should” do, tend to take precedent over the things you may “want” to do this time of year.
Add to that expectations placed on yourself for family or hosting duties, sad memories of people who are no longer with us, or even the temptation to use less than healthy coping strategies during this time and you have the perfect storm for anxiety and stress.
So what can you do to mitigate the stress and worry?
Here are a few easy go to’s that will support a more balanced healthier holiday season.
1. Make space for some alone time. Too much friends and family (Even where those are healthy relationships) I can leave you run down and feeling fragmented. It’s ok to Give your self permission to say NO to social events!
2. Set Your Priorities. Get clear ahead of time on the things, people or traditions that are most important to you, then make a commitment to schedule those things in before anything else.
3. Be aware of your triggers. If over eating, over drinking, or too much time with an especially difficult person have been issues for you in the past, make a plan now. There is nothing wrong with excusing yourself early from a get together or having a back up plan. (like ensuring you have your own means of transportation to or from events.)
4. Don’t skip any of your pre-existing healthy habits. You need them now more than ever! If you regularly exercise, meditate, see a psychologist, or a massage therapist, this is not the time to neglect or cut back on those activities.
yyccommunity yycliving yycmentalhealthprofessional yycmentalhealth psychologist psychologyyyc wellnesswednesday wellnesscentre serenitynow yychealth yycnow yychealing yycmentalhealth yychealing
