5 Essential Tips for Surviving the Holiday Season
Holidays
5 Tips to Survive the Holidays
Original article published in December 2020, article updated in November 2023
5 Essential Tips for Surviving the Holiday Season
The holidays can be triggering for many individuals. Dealing with unhealthy family dynamics can send you in a downward spiral.
We reconnect with family and friends and those with whom we have been exposed to significantly difficult events. These histories may have contributed to the use of substances or other self-medicating behaviors such as gambling, impulsive buying, emotional eating, and many more. Or even led to high levels of anxiety, worry, sleepless nights, or highly sensitive responses to the world around you.
All is not lost! You can be proactive about how you choose to deal with this holiday season. Plus, learn additional tools to navigate the holidays.
Here are 5 tips to help you make this holiday season less stressful, be more proactive when it comes to your emotional safety and physical safety
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Use the 5 Tips To Survive the Holidays to walk you through your Holiday Survival Plan Worksheet
5 Tips to Survive the Holidays
Tip 1: Escape Plan
5 days of Surviving the Holidays
Tip 1: The Escape Plan
If you choose to engage in the family events be prepared.
Always have an exit strategy in place.
Here are a few examples:
- Upon arrival, state you have a prior engagement which will require you to leave early.
- When you see the Sh*T is about to hit the fan, do not engage... leave the scene
FYI, you can be honest here.
Tip 2:
Make It Memorable
“If you place all of your focus on things ahead you will miss out on the beauty of life that is happening before you in this very moment.”
TIP 2: Make It Memorable
If you place all of your focus on things ahead you will miss out on the beauty of life that is happening before you in this very moment.
Tune in to what is happening now.
What you smell, see, feel, hear, and taste.
This is how you stay in the present moment.
This is how you make memories, something pleasant to look back on when you finally get to the destination ahead.
Tip 3:
Stick To Your Boundaries
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Tip 3: Stick To Your Boundaries
"I don't want to hurt someone's feelings." A statement, I often hear in my therapy sessions.
Just a reminder: boundaries are made to protect you mentally, physically, spiritually, and beyond.
Boundaries allow others to know what we will and will not accept from them.
Alternatively, those same individuals have boundaries that we are expected to follow as well.
We have to be willing to show others our desire to be respected or we'll settle for poor treatment.
“We have to be willing to show others how our desire to be respected or we’ll settle for poor treatment.
”
Tip 4:
Beauty Amongst The Ashes
Tip 4: Beauty Amongst the Ashes
Just sit back and look at how far you've come.
Despite what you have been through, YOU'VE MADE IT!
You've come this far!
There's beauty in that...
Just in the mere fact...at this moment...this second...this speck in the timeline of the Universe
... Your presence here is significant!
What have you learned about yourself and your resilience?
What changes have you made to protect yourself? To show kindness to yourself?
“Just sit back and look at how far you’ve come.
Despite what you have been through, YOU’VE MADE IT!”
Tip 5:
The List
Tip 5: The List
Do you have a coping list?
If not, make one today! I already created the Holiday Survival Plan 2 page worksheet so you can get started on your list.
Having a coping list handy is helpful.
I know...I know...you have all of the coping ideas in your head.
Here's the thing, when a person is in crisis (which often happens when triggered) thoughts of how to cope usually go out the window!
Having a list of 3 coping skills in your pocket or on your phone can come in handy today!!
Below I’ve made a worksheet to help you prepare for the holiday season. For $1.99 this 2-page worksheet is available to you. Plus you can use this blog to walk you through each section.
This 2 page, Holiday Survival Plan was created to help you proactively prepare for this difficult season and takes less than 10 minutes to complete. The Holiday Survival Plan was made for individuals, couples, or families who find it difficult to get through the holiday season.
Summary
During the holiday, we reconnect with family and friends who have played a significant role in the past. The roles may have included the use of substances and alcohol or other self-medicating behaviors. But it doesn't have to be that way.
Start this holiday season differently by taking control now and completing your Holiday Survival Plan.
Written by: Reynelda Jones, LMSW-C, CAADC, ADS, CMHIMP
Founder and Therapist of A Solution B, LLC
If you're in need of working through some issues and feel you would benefit from a holistic therapeutic approach, Contact me today for a session.
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