The holidays are meant to be a time of joy and celebration, of coming together with the people we love and making new, happy memories. For some people however, the holidays can be stressful and have many moving parts. Whether it be the idea of setting up a party at your own home and cleaning up the space, or simply coordinating schedules and buying gifts, getting things just right for the holiday season. It can all often feel overwhelming and take a toll on our mental health. So the question then is, how do we reclaim our mental health and calm in the middle of the coming holiday season?
I am excited to share some of the methods that have helped me personally. You may find something that works for you. These will also give you a direction to look in for mental health and relaxation in the future.
A relatively simple way to take back your day, despite a full schedule, is to take small breaks throughout. A small break in this case means 15 to 20 minutes of simply relaxing or doing some form of activity to calm down your mind. It does not matter what exactly you do, just taking the time for a brief mental reset can often allow you to breath and move forward with your day mentally refreshed and with much more energy than you would have had without the time to yourself. If you do wish to take part in an activity during those 15 or 20 minutes it could be things like listening to music, making a quick drawing or doodle, or even some simple grounding techniques.
Grounding techniques are a way to bring yourself away from the anxiety and stressful thoughts filling your mind and allow you to tie yourself more into the calm of the present moment. While there are many ways to do this, one that I prefer is known as the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique. As part of this exercise, sit in a comfortable position with your eyes open and your breathing as even and relaxed as possible. You should then try to name out loud five things that you can see, like the color blue on the wall of the room you are in for example. Next, list four things you touch or feel, for example the air on your face from a fan in the room or the soft carpet under your feet. For number three, count three things that you are able to hear, like the ticking of a clock or the sound from a television. For number two, list two things that you can smell, like a candle in the room or your cologne or perfume. Finally, for number one, name one thing you can taste like a mint or water.
Keep in mind that you do not need to get the exact numbers for each sense, the point of this exercise is to call your attention to the physical world rather than the anxiety filled space inside your mind. I like this exercise because, while it may be complicated at first glance, once you become more used to doing it, it will only take around10 to 15 minutes. The fact that anyone can try this and that it is quick to complete makes it one of my favorite ways to fight anxiety, both for myself and for other people in my life.
Another small change that can make a big impact on stress levels is establishing a schedule. In terms of a schedule, having a general time that you do certain tasks throughout the day can enable you to have a good idea of what you will be doing when, therefore reducing unpredictability and anxiety in your day. Personally, I like to have lunch around twelve or one every day and stop work activities around 6pm if possible, that way I can begin to relax and decompress from my day. I also try to go to sleep and wake up around the same time each day if I can. If you are able to do something similar it could have a number of positive benefits beyond simply reducing your stress. Some of these benefits can include better cognitive focus, better memory and recall, and better physical wellness and immune system performance. Again, the main idea of establishing a schedule is not to have an exact idea of every moment in a given day, rather it is to let your body adjust to and become comfortable with doing certain things at certain times. For example, if you fall asleep at around the same time each day, your body will then become more used to sleeping at that time, allowing sleep to come easier and be more restful. The same principle also applies to any activity you plan throughout your day, so if you feel overwhelmed try to set a schedule for yourself to establish order and help both your body and mind improve.
I myself have used all three of these ideas as recently as last year. In order to prepare for holiday celebrations at my house, I slept and woke up around the same time for around 3 or 4 days before the party itself to make sure I had a good level of energy. Then I helped my family to set things up for the guests that were set to come over. While I was helping to set things up for the party, I began to think about how each guest would respond to my gifts and whether they would like them. These thoughts, combined with making sure my house looked good for the party, was slightly overwhelming for a moment. In order to counteract this stress, I went into my room, and completed the 5-4-3-2-1 technique to help control my thought spiral. I am unable to remember everything I used, but I know that I did take note of the color of the sky outside my window and the sound of a ticking clock. After doing this, I felt much calmer and was able to have a great time at the party with my family. As shown by my own experiences, these techniques can be used by anyone in their time of need.
Overall, whether it be through taking small breaks, using grounding techniques, or setting a schedule for yourself, you have many ways to reduce anxiety this holiday season. These do not need to be complex or time consuming and can in reality be simple and quick to use in your day. Now that you have seen some I use in my own life, I hope you have been able to find one that works for you and take back your peace of mind. I wish all of you a calm and happy holiday season and a great start to your new year.
Chase Taylor – LCMHCA – Supervised by Ilse Sucely de Leon MABC, LCMHC-NC/QS, LPC-TX
