Happy Holidays—Right?

It’s the happiest time of the year—unless you’re not happy. Everything is telling us we’re supposed to be very happy during the holidays. But for many, the holidays can be some of the hardest weeks of the year. Many women find that this is a time to reflect on loves lost, pregnancies lost, friends and family lost, dreams lost, and all the rest.

So... what if you’re struggling to make it through the holidays? What can you do to make those hard days and weeks better?

Relieving Stress

Some basic stress-relief tactics can help you get centered again and regain your direction in life. If you find yourself sinking into the dark regions of your psyche, then try to refocus your mind by engaging in other activities.

Get out and do some exercise. Take some deep breaths and try to find some positive thoughts to focus upon. Watch a funny movie. Give yourself a favorite treat. Talk to a friend. Eat healthy, and don’t overdo the holiday sweets. Be kind to yourself and others. And perhaps most important, acknowledge the feelings that you are having, and then try letting them go.

What if you can’t seem to lift yourself up?

If you find that you can’t seem to focus on anything other than your sadness, then you might need to talk to your healthcare provider about seeing a professional counselor. A counselor can’t solve your problems but they can certainly help you develop some healthy strategies for exploring your feelings and coping with them.

It’s not unusual to feel sad or melancholy during the holidays. Sometimes just admitting to having such feelings is all that is needed. Other times, we need to work hard to give ourselves a break from the reflection. And if you discover that you just can’t find your way through the darkness to feel better, then ask your healthcare provider for help.

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