The holidays can be the best of times, and the worst of times.  Try to find a good balance by being mindful of your own needs and recognizing the importance of social connectedness over consumerism.

“The holidays can be an exciting time of anticipation and joy, but they can also be a time of elevated stress,” says BHI Director of Research Elyse Park, PhD, MPH.  “Try to stay focused on the aspects of the holiday you appreciate – the people you enjoy, familiar foods and songs, and pleasurable traditions.  Try to not let the extra hassles and pressures of the season get to you.  Make one meaningful, attainment goal for the new year!”

Here are a few resiliency tips that Dr. Park suggests you can do to make your holiday season bright:

• Appreciation – While we tend to focus on giving to others during this season, we can also make the holidays a time of gratitude: take time out to note the smaller appreciations of life – hearing the soothing holiday music, the familiar sights and scents of the season and appreciating others who are gifts in our lives.
• Self-Care – Make sure that you are preserving your sleep, engaging in mindful eating (i.e. partaking holiday treats in moderation) and still keeping physically active in spite of the cold.  Cherishing oneself is really important!
• Stress awareness – We need to recognize that positive things like holidays can be very stressful; our To Do lists can weigh us down.  Be aware of what holiday obligations or preparations are most stressful to you and evaluate which ones you really need to engage in – i.e. do you really need to send 100 holiday cards? Would it be better to make a few phone calls or consider an electronic card?
• Social connectedness – The holidays are about togetherness, but they can also have the opposite effect.  Often people feel lonely during this time, reflecting on a lost loved one or missing someone who is far away. We can help others by reaching out through acts of kindness, like making a treat or a small gift or by taking part in volunteer activities for those who are less fortunate. We can also remedy our own sense of loneliness by reaching out and expressing gratitude to the people in our lives.  Humans are all about connectedness – show those around you that you appreciate their presence and feel fortunate to have them in your life!
• Creativity – Instead of spending money on things (and often feeling financially stressed about gift giving) consider tapping into your own creativity to make thoughtful, personalized gifts – cards, poems and other meaningful items.  Give homemade baked goods or just a note to say Happy Holidays.  It is the thought that matters, not the price.