Christa Melnyk Hines
10toSteps a More
Joyful Season
It’s a common question: How does my family have a joyful holiday season that doesn’t leave us exhausted, miserable and broke? We have the answers! Here are 10 ways to shift your perspective and take command of this special time of the year.
“Be firm, decisive and assertive, always coming from a place of love and keeping the focus on the origin of the holidays,” says Flynn, who specializes in helping women manage anxiety, depression and holiday overwhelm. “Graciously decline and send a nice note.”
Let go of perfection. Nothing burns holes into the fantasy holiday season like real life. Maybe the tree is lopsided, the dog ate your son’s gingerbread house, or you were so focused on creating the best event ever that you became too sick to enjoy it when the big day arrived. “Decide to do things differently this year,” says therapist Julia Flynn, LCPC. “Strive for good and be satisfied with good. Too often the focus is on the result, and we tend to lose focus on the beautiful process of getting to the result.”
Rediscover the “why.” Take time to reevaluate priorities. How do you want the season to feel? What do you want the kids to remember? “Sometimes we need to take a step back and ask ourselves why this time of year is important to us,” says Maki Moussavi, a life coach and book author. “It becomes an expectation of self and family to have it look a certain way. Take a step back to assess, from an intangible, emotional perspective, why the holidays are important.”
Don’t overcommit. Decide ahead of time which activities won’t work this year. Instead of committing to five parties and multiple gift exchanges, choose a couple that you’re enthusiastic about.
Rest. Self-care is essential all year, but especially during busy holidays when your stress level may skyrocket. Do what reasonably makes sense for your health, time and emotional wellbeing. Continued on p. 16
14 • SanDiegofamily.com • December 2021
