All over the world, people are celebrating assorted holidays in December but a great number of people feel anything but festive. The so called "Holiday Blues" is a temporary state of mild depression that comes before Christmas and generally leaves right after New Years. Even though the feelings are short lived, they are still miserable.
The holidays are expected to be fun, festive and full of love and presents. That is rarely the case. But the expectations remain. And the unfulfilled expectations cause pain. The end of the year reminds you of all the things you didn't accomplish. If you are alone for the holidays, the feeling is even worse because this is supposed to be a time for togetherness.
Since you can't avoid December, dealing proactively with the holiday blues is the best way to get through the month. It will be easier for you to get through this time if you do a few simple steps.
Acknowledge your feelings. Admit to yourself that you feel bad for all the reasons you are mulling over in your head. Don't fight the feelings. Don't try to rationalize them away. Just accept them without excuses or justifications. They aren't wrong or right. They just are.
Don't fall for the holiday hype. We all feel the pressure to be totally joyous and merry but people rarely feel this way to the degree we've been led to expect. We see so many ads and TV shows with happy, healthy kids opening their Christmas presents while their loving parents look on smiling. Your TV is lying to you. Life isn't like that. If you expect it to be that way, you are setting yourself up for never ending disappointments that extend way beyond December.
Eat properly. Food affects your mood. Instead of burying your feelings in sugary treats, elevate your feelings with foods that actually nourish you. This has the added benefit of keeping you from gaining weight which you will have to take off before bathing suit season.
Exercise. Even a walk as short as twenty minute a few times a week will get your blood moving and lift your spirits.
Take time to feel gratitude for all the things you do have. Instead of ruminating over what you don't have, think about the good things you do have.
Learn The Emotional Freedom Technique. It's a gentle, simple, fast method for relieving unwanted emotions by tapping acupressure points.
The Holiday Blues are truly a seasonal phenomenon.. The feelings will fade even if you do nothing about them but realize you do have options. You can be happier over the holidays if you want to be.