The holidays can be such a fun time — family time, good friends, festivities of all kinds. But with that comes a lot of this: planning, long days, family feuds, something burns in the kitchen, and the list goes on and on and on….no worries though, there’s lots of ways to cope with the stress of it all!

I am definitely one to fall into a seasonal depression - even with the joy of the holidays. It’s easy to get overwhelmed, exhausted, and all other sorts of non-joyous feelings. Here’s a couple ways I know that help me to decompress:

Recognize how you feel — its ok to admit you’re tired and stressed. It’s important to say it to yourself and acknowledge those feelings, then you can know how to address it
Let others know how you feel — if the feelings are getting too overwhelming, reach out to someone. Whether its a friend, family member, or even going to church, let out what you’re feeling to someone
Be realistic — it’s easy to get a little dramatic about a situation that well, isn’t that dramatic. Take a moment and see the reality of everything — it may not be as bad as your head dreamt it up
Plan ahead — be prepared of certain scenarios or things happening, try your best to budget as much as you can, write it down
Say no — if you get caught up getting involved in too much, let others know you can’t take on another task at that time; it’s ok to say no
Breathe and take you time — don’t abandon some of your own treats; exercise, meditate, take a long bath….and just breathe

As always, please remember to seek professional help if needed. Hopefully these tips help a little to make this wonderful, loving time a little less stressful! Have a safe and happy