Therapy

Navigating Holiday Stress

By Lauren Blake

It’s the most wonderful time of the year—or at least that’s the picture that television and social media creates. While generations gathered around the fireplace joyfully unwrapping presents may be a reality for some, many find the holidays to be stressful, wrought with personality conflicts and dysfunction.

With the year drawing to a close, take a moment to acknowledge the effort you put into self-improvement, minimizing stress, and setting healthy boundaries. Now the holidays are approaching and it’s not uncommon to feel stress levels rise as you anticipate facing difficult family dynamics.

The social pressure to be cheerful often breeds feelings of isolation, shame, and self-blame. A single evening can leave you feeling like you’ve regressed to your fifteen- year-old self.

As tempting as it may be to avoid these feelings (we’ve heard Fiji is nice this time of year), a little self-care and planning can make the holiday season tolerable and maybe even, dare we say it, enjoyable. That’s why we’ve compiled some great tips to help you get through the holidays without sacrificing your progress toward personal growth.

Know That You Are Not Alone

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The social pressure to be cheerful often breeds feelings of isolation, shame, and self-blame. A single evening can leave you feeling like you’ve regressed to your fifteen- year-old self.

Know That You Are Not Alone

The social pressure to be cheerful often breeds feelings of isolation, shame, and self-blame. A single evening can leave you feeling like you’ve regressed to your fifteen- year-old self.

Know That You Are Not Alone

Even though it may feel like it, familial tensions are not unique to you. Family dysfunction and anxiety during the holidays are extremely common. You may feel ashamed for not fitting into the prototypical holiday mold portrayed on TV and social media. Keeping in mind that others are in the same boat might help take the edge off.

Have Realistic Expectations

Keeping your expectations in check will mentally prepare you for any drama—while you may have evolved and become healthier, your relatives are most likely stuck in their old ways, repeating the same toxic behaviors. Don’t expect them to behave differently this year. To help lighten your mood, try this tactic: Make a tic-tac-toe board and write in each box an irritating behavior that you’re expecting from a family member. For example, if your mom always pries about your dating life, write that in a box. Then, once she does, check it off. It may seem simplistic, but game-ifying your experiences helps to make light of the situation and reminds you that it’s only temporary.

Planning

While setting boundaries can be difficult in the heat of the moment, a little preparation can go a long way to getting through the holidays unscathed. If you’re staying at a relative’s house, having your own space and transportation sets limits on family time.

Have a schedule. The more structured your time, the less likely you are to get swept up by family drama. Whatever it is—plans with friends, tickets to a show—plan it so that you’ll have personal space. Having a schedule also helps break up the time, making it more manageable.

Before your holiday get-together, make a list of distractions— activities that disrupt old, unhealthy dynamics as they arise. Work and a call from a friend are great examples of distractions. While phones are often discouraged at family gatherings, your phone might be a healthy distraction when you’re stressed. If you can’t break away, your distraction could be playing with your nephews or the dogs (they’re less critical of your career choices). Also create a list of calming activities—anything that soothes you such as music, meditation, or a long walk.

Try making a list of domains—topics of conversation that you can return to such as music or sports. So, when your mom inevitably asks if you’re dating anyone, you can pivot to the latest Netflix series. The key is to keep these domains light so they don’t lead to sensitive topics.

Finally, identify a “lifeline”—anyone who will be supportive and understanding—to call when you feel stressed. A therapist can make a good lifeline when you don’t want to confide in a friend.

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Controlling your reaction

“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”—Viktor E. Frankl

We love this quote because it emphasizes that although the behavior of others is outside of our control, we get to decide how we react. Sometimes it’s healthiest not to react at all. One of our therapists recommends using guided imagery, a stress management technique that helps to cope with difficult situations. You can imagine the relative engaging in toxic behavior as a call on your phone, and simply ignoring it. This can help minimize the effects of their antics.

When a relative brings up a sensitive topic, it’s perfectly acceptable to say “Let’s not get into this right now” and change the subject. If they persist after you have tactfully tried to set a boundary, just walk away. If you find yourself stuck in uncomfortable silence, understand that it is not your duty to fill it with awkward rambling. It’s okay to have boundaries during the holidays, and you have the right to stay firm with them.

Know your triggers and plan how you will respond to them. Your triggers can be subtle like a specific sound or smell. Being aware of the triggers, even if you can’t avoid them, helps to lessen your reaction. Drink in moderation and avoid people who are drinking excessively. Heightened emotions and sensitivity can be a recipe for disaster in an already dysfunctional family gathering.

Self-soothing

Before the family gathering, have a safe place you can go in your mind. It can be anywhere that gives you a sense of peace such as the beach or a scene from a childhood memory. When you are confronted with feelings of intense stress, find a moment for yourself, take a few deep breaths, close your eyes, and imagine you are in this safe place. Be there with all your senses—feel the ground beneath you, smell the aroma and hear the sounds—make yourself at home in your safe place. When you open your eyes you will feel more at peace and better able to manage difficult family dynamics.

Do something relaxing before the gathering such as meditating or listening to music. Meditation can help you become less attached to your thoughts so you don’t allow them to get the better of you. Going for a walk when nerves are high can improve your mood and give you a fresh perspective. If you are unable to go for a walk, try focusing on your breathing. Breathe naturally and follow your breath. Additionally, breathing exercises such as box breathing can relieve tension.

Lastly, bring something that makes you smile such as a photograph of a beloved pet or a funny text from a friend.

Attitude

Your attitude has the power to shape your experience. Anticipating a stressful experience will only intensify your anxiety. Shift your focus to identifying ways to mitigate your tension.

Focus on the positive—list traits you like about your relatives before you see them. We tend to experience more of what we focus on, so focusing on positive attributes makes you more likely to experience them during the gathering. If someone’s behavior is upsetting and you can’t seem to escape it, remind yourself that you only have to tolerate it for a short time.

A gratitude practice comes in handy during holiday stress. You don’t have to wait for the holidays to start—in the morning when you wake up or at night before you go to sleep, write down three things you’re truly grateful for. This practice softens your mind and keeps you focused on the positive.

Find a therapist

While these tips are a great start, sometimes professional guidance is your best bet. Therapy can be very helpful in managing holiday stress and navigating challenging family dynamics. Your therapist can teach you how to set healthy boundaries, communicate effectively, and control your reactions, thus preserving your mental health. Expansive Therapy matches you with a therapist that meets your needs. Book your free consultation today and you will be well-equipped to cope with holiday stress.