Not-So-Happy Holidays
Despite the radio’s continuous barrage of so-called ‘Holiday Favorites,’ informing us that it is the season to be merry and bright, the holiday season is often a time of high stress, decreased serotonin, and unmet expectations.
Actually, one of the biggest reasons the holidays can be so stressful is because of all of the spoken and unspoken expectations that we, and others, place on us. Any time our expectations are incongruent with our perceptions of reality, it causes emotional strain. Remember, EXPECTATIONS ≠ REALITY. When we choose to set open and realistic expectations over the holiday season, it enables us to decide which ones we really want to maintain and which ones we might want to get rid of.
Unfortunately, unmet expectations only play a part in the orchestra of holiday stress that we feel. Fortunately, there are a few things that we can do to help bring some holiday cheer into our lives this season.
Throughout the next month or so I will be sharing a few tips to not only SURVIVE the holidays, but to have a Healthy+Happy season. I can’t promise you a Hallmark Christmas, but if you follow these tips, I am certain that you will find more peace, joy, and love this season than you have in the past.
In my next post, I’ll be posting some C.O.R.E.-specific Holiday Survival tips, so be on the lookout for those! In the meantime, please feel free to reach out to me or a member of our team if you have any question or are in need of additional support!
I feel so grateful for the opportunities I’ve had to help clients, couples, and families build Healthy+Happy lives-and I know that we can help you do the same. If you are interested in booking a discovery call with me, you can schedule your complimentary call by clicking here. OR, if you have general questions and just want to reach out, click here to send us a message!
Have a happy start to your holiday season!
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Denim L. Slade, PhD