The holiday season can be a whole lot of fun, but when you’ve got anxiety, it can feel like a long, low-key panic attack. Between all the events, decorating, cooking, family time, traveling, and shopping, it makes total sense anxiety levels spike during the holidays. So here are some things you can do now to ease your mind and your to-do list before stress takes you down.
Start planning your holiday travel now - Now’s the time to take a look at the calendar and think about where you’re going to be for the holidays. If you know you’re going to be spending Thanksgiving with your S.O.’s family now, you’ll have time to breathe into the idea and relax. Whatever your travel plans are, getting ahead of them will make it easier.
Start the whole thing early - If you need to buy gifts, make that list now and get started. Stores aren’t crowded yet, your budget isn’t blown yet, and as soon as Thanksgiving is over, it’s madness out there. Anything you can take care of early will save you stress later on.
Make a plan for the rough moments you might encounter - You know at some point your anxiety will get the best of you, so having a strategy to get through it will help so much.
Set up fun stuff now - You need things to look forward to during the holiday season so it’s not all hustling around shopping for presents and having to attend get togethers you don’t even want to go to. Schedule a mani/pedi for the future when things get hectic and you need a self-care break or plan a besties brunch to balance out that family time you’re dreading. If it’s fun for you, make it happen so you can hold onto your sanity.
Remember that it’s okay to skip them - You can decide how deeply you want to participate in holiday cheer and festivities. If you feel overextended, stay home from that party or dinner. The world won’t end and managing your anxiety is more important.
Source: Hello Giggles