The holidays can be a time of joy, connection and celebration. But in reality, the twinkling lights can’t always hide the feelings of stress that often brew beneath all the holiday cheer. Between buying gifts, making travel plans and navigating your social calendar, it’s easy to get caught up in the endless to-do lists and expectations. However, there are ways to feel more grounded.

Guidelight Health offers clinical mental health programs that prioritize practical, evidence-based skill building. In this article, we’ll explore five key ways you can make the most wonderful time of the year feel a little less difficult.

Take a look: What’s behind your holiday stress?

One way to manage the stress that often accompanies this season is to pause and identify what’s usually behind those feelings of anxiety and overwhelm. By recognizing those sources, you can take proactive steps to address them instead of letting them take a toll on your mental and emotional well-being. The holidays look a little different for everyone, but some common holiday stressors include:

• Amplified logistics — From attending school events to coordinating dinners, a bustling social calendar can be hard to juggle this time of year.
• Family dynamics — Many people find that unresolved tension between relatives can make the holidays more difficult.
• Financial worries — Gift giving, travel and hosting can put added strain on your budget.
• Big expectations — Even the most beloved holiday traditions can leave you feeling added pressure to curate “perfect” experiences.
• Grief or loneliness — As much as the holidays bring people together, for some, it brings feelings of grief, loss and loneliness.

5 tips for managing holiday stress

Once you’ve identified the sources of stress in your holiday season, the next step is learning how to manage them. It’s impossible to control every possible situation, but here are five things you can do to help make this time of year feel more manageable:

1. Set healthy boundaries.

If social obligations usually feel overwhelming, try setting some boundaries beforehand. Healthy boundaries can help protect your time, energy and peace of mind, and they don’t have to be complicated. They’re simply ways of taking care of yourself. This might look like:

• Saying no to discussing politics and other tricky topics
• Driving separately, so you can leave when your social battery runs out
• Politely declining some activities when you need more “me” time
• Setting a realistic holiday budget that can help curb excess spending

2. Practice self-care.

Speaking of taking care of yourself, it truly is the gift that keeps on giving — especially during the holidays. Practicing self-care can help reduce stress and put you in a better mindset as your calendar fills up. Try to prioritize the basic things that support your health and wellness, such as:

• Getting enough sleep at night
• Eating nutritious meals
• Maintaining the core elements of your routine
• Exercising semi-regularly

3. Support your emotional well-being.

The holidays can stir up complicated emotions, such as grief, tension, loneliness and loss. Recognizing your emotional triggers and what makes you feel grounded are important steps in taking care of your mental health during the holidays. You can cope with these emotions in many ways, but here are some suggestions to help you get started:

• Doing deep breathing techniques
• Practicing mindfulness meditation
• Reaching out to a loved one
• Taking a short walk outside
• Journaling

4. Manage expectations.

Managing expectations is another powerful way to reduce holiday stress. By setting realistic goals that protect your time and energy, you can reduce the disappointment that can come from pursuing perfectionism. Clear expectations can also create more room for flexibility, so you can remain focused on what truly matters. It can also help prevent holiday events, to-do lists and budgets from getting overloaded.

5. Seek professional support.

Consider reaching out to a mental health provider. Talking to a professional can give you a safe space to explore your feelings, whether it’s stress, grief, family tension or something else entirely. They can also help you learn how stress can affect your mental health and develop personalized coping strategies to help you feel more resilient this time of year.

Let Guidelight help during the holidays and beyond 

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, know that help is available. At Guidelight, we help our clients manage their mental well-being throughout the year. Our programs emphasize emotional regulation skills, helping our clients learn practical tools they can use in their daily lives.

Guidelight even offers a Virtual Intensive Outpatient Program (virtual IOP) for clients experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma or emotional dysregulation who may benefit from more support than weekly therapy alone. This program provides the same evidence-based care as in-person treatment, all from the comfort of your home — which can be especially helpful during the busy holiday season.

At Guidelight, everyone has a seat. For more information about our virtual or in-person programming, or to schedule an initial evaluation, contact our team. We provide treatment across the country — and we’re always expanding. See if we offer care in your state, either online or at one of our local clinics.