December is right around the corner, which means the holiday season is finally upon us! While the holidays are festive and often fun, they can also be stressful and anxiety inducing, especially this year. To help you navigate the merrymaking, this forward-thinking advice will set you on the path to keep your mental health in check for the holidays.
Focus: Our Current Mindset
As we head into December, our emotions are filling us to the brim, inviting us to express them with every chance we have. This self-love is contagious and soul-feeding in its free-flowing state, and you should remember that what you give out comes back tenfold. Don’t be afraid to share your current emotional state with those around you. They’re excited to celebrate along with you if you’re in a positive state, or guide you if you’re struggling.
Focus: Our Clouded Perception
The month of December is for reflection and self-evaluation regarding what you need for your mental health in 2021. While this assessment will likely unleash past experiences you’ve closed yourself off to, it’s this deep dive that will drive you to a larger awakening, so don’t hesitate to reopen those doors in order to move on. The past may not highlight your best attributes, but it will guide you toward a more satisfying future. Pay attention and learn from your choices. Your judgment has probably always served you well – you just have to listen to it.
How to Deal: Inside Influences
The holidays can bring along feelings of negativity. Whether that’s due to an overwhelming calendar for work, an obsessive need to keep routine, or even a hang-up on the material impact of gift-giving, it’s time to let go of the negativity. Only you have the power to turn such emotions off, so you need to tune into what does and does not serve your best interests—and move forward accordingly.
Taking Happiness One Day at a Time
As the year winds to an end, you’ll note a transformation that brings with it change and new beginnings. Whether that quite literally means there’s a new year around the corner (duh!) or more figuratively means you should brace yourself for new opportunities, the lesson is the same: whatever isn’t serving you needs to be ditched to make room for what’s to come. Your future is dependent upon your ability to let go of the past. So as the month of December winds down, take the phrase “new year, new me” to heart and do the work to ensure you’re not only prepared for change, but that you’re also ready to thrive in it.
During a year filled with daily stress and anxiety, the last thing you should have to worry about is navigating the holidays with your mental health in tact. Utilize this advice to guide you in the month ahead and ensure your holiday season is the festive, stress-free period you’ve been waiting for.