Holiday Pressure

Let’s talk about holiday pressure

It seems like people fall into one of two groups when it comes to the holidays. Either this is your favorite time of year or you really wish we could do away with the holidays all together from Thanksgiving on. Maybe you don’t feel that extreme, but no matter what side of the holiday aisle you find yourself on, there is no question that this time of year comes with some pressure.

Pressure to see family

Pressure to travel

Pressure to purchase gifts

Pressure to decorate

Pressure to “feel” a certain way (jolly, merry, happy, excited, etc.)

Pressure to cook the best turkey or tofurkey

Pressure to have a clean house

Pressure to take time off work

This pressure can cause us to get caught in some thinking traps that aren’t always the most helpful. Here are some examples…

 

All or Nothing Thinking. This type of thinking shows up when we are putting our experiences into extremes. For example, “If my house isn’t perfectly clean and my turkey isn’t perfectly cooked then this Thanksgiving is going to stink!” When we experience this type of internal pressure to have it all together or nothing else matters, we set ourselves up to feel negatively. Keep reading to find out how you can reframe your all-or-nothing-thinking into something that helps alleviate the pressure.

 

Comparison. You may have heard that “comparison is the thief of joy.” Whenever we compare ourselves to someone else, which is far too easy to do in the age of social media, we usually end up feeling like we come up short. It is important to remember, similar to all-or-nothing, that no one is perfect and that we are all facing our own unique challenges. See if you can practice gratitude, which is the quickest way out of comparison.

 

If you find yourself in one of these thinking “traps” see if you can take some pressure off yourself by practicing the following two skills, self-compassion and gratitude.

 

To practice self-compassion

·      Remind yourself that you are not the only person who feels this way this time of year

·      See if you can say something more kind to your mind like, “I am managing a lot and doing the best I can.”

 

To practice gratitude

·      Try writing down 3 things you’re grateful for each night before you go to bed this next month and see if that helps quite the comparison gremlin. 

We hope these tips help provide a little extra support during this time of year. You can always reach out to us at Whole Connection to set up an appointment to see one of our incredible therapists for added support, too. Read more..