If you are suffering from grief, as many of you are, the holiday season can be filled with stress and unrealistic demands that cause a depletion of energy.
How do you avoid this from happening to you? There are certain things you can do that will alleviate some of the chaos. I will give you share some of those tips with you below. They are not always easy, but they are extremely important for you to follow.
Here Are 10 Tips to Ease Holiday Stress While Grieving:
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Don’t Over-Indulge
Remember, it’s easy to indulge in too much alcohol and food due to the extra festivities or out of pure grief. Many people put on extra pounds and this causes them to be even more stressed. So the key is to be good to yourself. Go ahead and have a Christmas cookie or a holiday drink. It’s your right. It’s important to enjoy yourself but love yourself enough by limiting your intake. Don’t go overboard.
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Avoid Procrastination
This is a time for gift buying and if you need to do so start early so that you don’t feel you must rush at the last minute. If you don’t want to go out to the stores, try online shopping. It’s the thought that is supposed to matter anyway!
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Quiet Time
This time of year can add many more activities to your normal schedule which can overwhelm you. It’s important to set aside some quiet time for yourself. This will give you peace of mind and rejuvenate you for the next day.
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Surround Yourself with Loved Ones
If you are grieving it is important to be sure to spend time with people who know that you are in grief and who will validate your feelings.
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Make the Best of It
If you must cook, bake, decorate, or wrap presents, try to make the process as pleasant as possible. A couple of things you may want to try are playing some uplifting music, lighting a candle, or inviting a friend over to help you.
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Connect with People That Support You
If you are participating in a holiday gathering and something causes you to become upset, it’s important to find support. If you can’t find someone to help at the gathering, then have someone’s number handy that you can call if you need to talk.
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There’s Only One You
There are only so many hours in a day and you can’t do everything. Pick and choose the events that will bring you the most satisfaction. It’s OK not to do everything.
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Help Another Person
Help someone else if you can. Giving a gift or doing a kind act for someone is always uplifting to your spirit and sense of well-being.
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Exercise Daily
Take care of your body and spirit by getting some exercise every day, even if it is a 15-minute walk. This helps release endorphins and will keep your mind alert. Also, take time to quiet your mind with meditation or yoga.
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Be Easy on Yourself
If this is the first holiday without your loved one, please be gentle with yourself. You will most likely experience emotions that you haven’t had before. Use this time to create new memories and new traditions that you can carry with you next season. Most importantly let others give you the gift of love and comfort.
Happy Holidays!
Love and Light,
Robin
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Robin left her job after 20 years as a computer software systems analyst following the suicide of her husband in 2005. Her journey through grief led to her transformation. She is a published author. A grief, life, and spiritual coach, and also shares inspiration with others through her teachings.
