Too often people wrap up their holiday season feeling frazzled. Here are some reflection points to help you go into the holiday season so that you may set yourself up for the best chance at wrapping up 2021 feeling fulfilled, connected, and energized into the new year.
- Check-in with your needs/feelings. How are you doing? The honest answer beyond the “I’m fine” you give to the attendant at the grocery store. How are you truly doing? Give yourself the care, attention, and love you need by answering that question honestly, and expressing yourself authentically. Once you have the honest answer to that question, as yourself “what do I need to be well (comforted, satiated, cared for, etc.)?”
- Check-in with expectations. How do you expect your holiday to go? Are you planning to drive to 4 different houses, splitting your time evenly between each? Are you planning to stay close to home, only celebrating with yourself and those in your household? Whatever the case may be, how are you feeling about the reality of what is happening?
- Explore how well your needs/feelings align with your expectations. Are you making choices that support what you need to be well? Are your expectations for yourself too high, would you like to rest? Are your expectations for yourself too low, would you like to do more? Are you trying to meet the expectations of others by trying to make their holiday perfect while you run yourself ragged?
- Reflect on what changes can be made, and which changes you would like to make. Your feelings are absolutely valid, and you deserve to have the holiday experience that you need to be well. Start with what’s doable, and don’t try to tackle too much at once. Believe me, we’ve all been there, and it just causes unnecessary strain to overexert yourself. So what’s doable, given your feelings, about what you have planned over the holidays? Maybe it’s planning a phone call rather than a visit. Or maybe it’s reaching out to a friend, family member, loved one to initiate that you’d like to connect.
- Do your best to make it happen but give yourself supportive self-talk. All you have to do is try. Your effort is absolutely enough, no matter the outcome. Sometimes plans change. Sometimes conflict happens. Sometimes there are too many things happening at once. We get thrown many different obstacles and challenges over the holidays, and you are doing your best to have a fulfilling holiday experience for yourself and those around you. That’s probably why you’re reading this article! =)
