Going home for the holidays can be hard, especially when you live in a big family. For those of us who need our alone time, have anxiety over family events or get offended by family members’ rude remarks, these are the self-care tips you need this holiday season.
1. Assert your boundaries
It is so important to remember to assert your boundaries and not let people walk over you. You need to be calm, clear and specific when stating your boundaries. Do not be afraid to stand up for yourself or to say no. We all have our limits, make sure that when someone breaks them that you state what they did and not you are not okay with their past behavior. You have the right to ask for people to respect these boundaries. There is no better feeling than being confident to protect them.
2. Carve out some “me time” and take breaks
The holiday time can be a busy time when we see all our loved ones, but sometimes it can be overwhelming. You should be prepared to practice self-care after or before the event. But don’t be afraid to need to take a break and step out of the festivities. It is important that you take care of yourself, even at the moment, to avoid making the issue worse. You can simply go into a quiet room to meditate, go for a walk, take a few minutes to color or take a moment to collect your thoughts. You know you best, practice whatever self-care method is most effective to calm you down. This can also fit into the category of taking breaks if you aren’t feeling well.
3. Be present
Enjoy the fun time and try not to think too much about the past or the future. It is important you are able to be mindful of your emotions so that they don’t get carried away, check-in with yourself. You are allowed to feel these emotions, but don’t try to react to them. Don’t try to distance yourself during the day or distract yourself through obsessing over social media or overeating because it only makes things worse. The holidays can be such a fun time, so make memories and get out of your head. Practice gratitude!
4. Give up control
Sometimes we have preconceived ideas about how things should be and it is hard when things don’t turn out the way that we think they should. It is okay for things to not show up as expected. Be open to new ideas and experiences. Control can cause so much unneeded stress and ruin an otherwise great experience.