It’s supposed to be such an amazing time of year so why does it always seem so hard during the holidays?
Truth is, your problems are not any different than they were in September, but here’s the thing:
Kay’s Jewelers commercials promoting that perfect love, commercials with mom, dad and kids sitting around a Christmas tree, opening presents, laughing, smiling or
12 family members at the dinner table all getting along, it all tends to be thrown in our faces how imperfect our lives really are.
We want that perfect love. We want that perfect family.
Yet despite our wants, we feel lonelier than ever. It can bring us to a level of low that makes us feel we will never climb our way out. The stress of trying to create this perfect illusion is astronomical.
Don’t succumb to the stress. I mean, after all, isn’t that the opposite of what you’re trying to achieve? None of those commercials so anyone stressed, right?
- Don’t spend more than you have. If you can feel the after-the-holiday debt already stressing you out, you are spending too much! Again about the commercials- they don’t show us what’s in all the presents around the tree. It’s about showing someone that you thought of them, not bleeding to death for them. Keep it realistic.
- Reach out to loved ones and make amends if you can. Try to repair the issues that have been floating in cyberspace. But again, be realistic. If you can’t repair the issues, is it really necessary that you be around that person? Maybe not. It’s ok to set boundaries. In fact, it’s better than driving yourself insane.
- Shake things up. Don’t be traditional. Do something different this year. Something that makes you feel alive.
If you've tried all the things above or what you’ve got going on is different, like say, you are desperately missing a loved one who has passed on, and your still having a hard time, come talk to us. Therapy is not laying on a couch while someone decides how mentally unstable you are. It is a place to come and talk. To say whatever you need to get off your chest without having to worry about hurting someone. We don't just "help," we listen. We empathize. And truly, it seems that this is what most of us really want. We want to connect. We want to feel heard. We want to feel important.