Holiday blast or holiday blues?

What kind of mood are you in over the holidays? Are the holidays a blast or do you feel some blues?
Like most things, there are two sides to the holidays. Some people feel like holidays are a real ‘blast”. They happily embrace the increase in activity with more decorating, more parties, more eating, more concerts and more of many activities. For those people, the holidays mean more fun!

However, for some people, holidays mean just the opposite and they get a case of “the blues”. Perhaps they feel sad at having lost a loved one or being away from family and friends. Sometimes they may feel like an observer watching life flashing by. It can be a time of feeling lonely and isolated even when there are people around. Everywhere they go, those feelings can be triggered as the lines are longer in stores and everything seems to be more crowded and hurried as people attend to their holiday tasks. People who feel blue during the holidays, sometimes can’t wait for those hectic days to just be over and life to calm down.

Of course, feelings aren’t just between feeling it’s a blast or feeling the blues. Many people feel a mix of moods as they enjoy present activities yet feel sadness as they recall losses in their lives. The American Psychological Association says lack of money and time, gift-giving and family gatherings are top stressors. As we thought about this topic, we wanted to look at some ways to deal with the stress of the holidays and help chase the blues away so the season can be more enjoyable. Here are some ideas for you to consider.

Perhaps the most important thing to remember is to keep the holidays in perspective. When we are feeling stressed from holiday activities, it’s usually that we feel blue because we can’t connect with everyone we want to reach and there is too much to do in too little time. We know that some stress during this time of year is normal and that stress feelings will pass – because the holidays will pass. We also try to avoid perfectionism, set reasonable expectations and remember the real reason for the season.

Taking good care of body, mind and spirit is always a plus, especially if holidays are stressful. Getting adequate sleep, some exercise and not overindulging in food and drink will help keep mood more balanced. Also, set boundaries on spending and activity by saying “no” when necessary.

Feeling like you’re in control can be helpful. Neuroscientists reveal that when you make the plans you’ll feel more in control and anxiety and those blue feelings are lessened. Also, volunteering can raise mood. Mark Twain said, “The best way to cheer yourself up is to cheer somebody else up.”

We wanted to get someone else’s thoughts on holiday moods. When we talked to Shirley Livingston she told us, “In my days of retailing, when I dealt with a lot of people of all ages, I experienced people who were down and kind of blue and not really ‘merry’ with the holidays. I was younger and had a lot going on in my life, so it was a little hard for me to understand that. But now that I’ve reached senior years, so many people are gone and I don’t have these people in my life, I feel these blues.

We asked Shirley what she does to get a boost to her spirit. Shirley shared, “I think you need to reach out and help other people One of the things I do every year is go to Byerly’s and they have a little tree there with gifts for the seniors. Being a senior, I love giving to the children but I always do the senior basket, too, because I think they need a little pick-me-up and gift.” We commented that perhaps seniors are not remembered as often as children. Shirley agreed, “I do remember the children because our building contributed to children’s toys this year but I think sometimes seniors are forgotten.”

We enjoyed hearing Shirley’s thoughts on beating the blues. What about you? How do you feel during the holidays?

Here are some suggestions: It’s wonderful if your holidays are a blast. If you’re blue, use the ideas set forth in this article to boost your mood. However, if the blues hang on past the holidays or seems more serious, please seek professional help. We want you to be able to avoid the blues and make holidays more of a blast!

Chanhassen residents Doug and Lynn Nodland are Success Coaches and owners of The Balance Center. They can be contacted at WeCare@SharingLifesLessons.com

© Doug and Lynn Nodland 2018 Articles and videos may be shared in their entirety with attribution.