How to Survive the Holidays with Your Sanity in Tact.

Here they come again, the holidays.  The time of joy and goodwill to men, all is right with the world.  You see it everywhere these days.  The way things are supposed to be.  Love, families, togetherness are all the idealized picture of this time of year. 

But many people live alone; their families are far away or perhaps there is no one special in their lives.  The unrealistic image of the Christmas / Hanukah /Kwanza season deepens the loneliness. 

If you feel this way, there are several things that you can do to combat the depression that comes with the season. 

1)     Get out of your house.  Get up and take a walk outside when weather permits.  The fresh air and exercise will do wonders to lift your spirits. 

2)     Set a personal or professional goal for the season and meet it.  There is a lot to be said for the satisfaction that successes bring.

3)     Get out of yourself and do something for someone else.  Charities are begging for help at this time of the year and delivering food to the poor or collecting toys for children is a good way to get a new perspective on life.

 But you might dread the holidays for a different reason.  You feel over burdened with obligations of family gatherings and assorted events taking place in your life.  You need a different plan. 

1)     Make a list of the things that you have planned for the next few weeks.  Write everything down and evaluate them carefully.  Decide which ones are the most important and mark them with an “A”. 

2)     Look at the remaining item on your list.  Which ones can you eliminate?  You’ve heard the expression “Less is more”?  A less cluttered holiday to do list will be much less stressful.

3)     Be sure to take some time for yourself during this season.  Relax and take it easy.  You will be refreshed and able to accomplish more without feeling so harassed.

Whether you are lonely or over stressed this season be sure to eat right and get plenty of rest over the next few weeks.  Remember that happiness is a choice.  You can enjoy yourself or not; the decision is yours.

Robbyn Siegel