Close your eyes and envision the sights of the Holiday Season. Green, Red, Blue, Gold, Silver and lots of Sparkles. I know, I know this can be all very overwhelming. The goal here is to have a repertoire of coping skills to get you through what can be a very difficult time for many. In my own personal world it is dealing with grief this Holiday Season. It’s a path that I have to navigate through especially in those unexpected moments that take you by surprise and make you emotional. I know that many of you can relate to this feeling and emotion. Many people suffer from seasonal depression during this time of year and many are lonely. I forgot to mention some other stressors like shopping, gift wrapping, small budget, holiday parties, gift giving, decorations and holiday family gatherings. For many this can be such an overwhelming time of year.
The goal today is to get you thinking about how you can Glitter and Sparkle this Holiday Season while navigating all of the stressors. It is so easy to get caught up and to not really enjoy this time of year. To Glitter and Sparkle means to let out your inner joy and your inner need to want to be happy this time of year. The big question is how do we cope? Really, this is not an easy question because for a lot of us we have a lot of hurdles to jump just to get through this time of year.
Dealing with my grief has it’s up and downs. I really needed to sit with myself to identify ways that I could make the memory of my Dad happy and not sad. I am happy to say that so far my coping skills have been productive for me. That is the key it is individual and personal on how each of us find ways to cope. Why do you need a plan? We all need a coping skill plan because anxiety, stress, grief, sadness, feeling depressed and being overwhelmed can just sneak up on us. We have to be ready to utilize our coping skills to get us through these moments and feelings. I would like you to evaluate how you cope. Think of your strengths and weaknesses when trying to cope. What will lift your spirits at your core? I was recently with a teenager who had extreme anxiety because they were standing up for themself with bullies. There was this beautiful experience where to cope they played Broadway Show tunes and began to sing from deep within their soul to help cope with their anxiety and fear. As a therapist this was such a beautiful moment to witness. The teenager was able to tap into what lifts their spirits and utilized this coping skill. Now this is your goal to find what can you do to cope during this Holiday Season. What leisure activities really reach into your soul and help you relax?” The time has come for you to put the work in. Identify a list of coping skills that you can tap into on the spot. Listening to music, 5 minute guided meditation, playing a game on your phone, a brain teaser on your phone, take a quick stretch, walk outside or just close your eyes for a few minutes. These are just some examples, you need to really acknowledge what will make you feel better. Coping Skills that work so well for you that you begin to smile, feel less stressed and you begin to Sparkle and Glitter from the inside out. Ready go and build your tool chest full of coping skills that will improve your mental health. Happy Holidays
POSITIVE THOUGHTS CREATE POSITIVE ENERGY
GO OUT AND EXPLORE ALL OF THE WIDE OPEN SPACES IN YOUR WORLD
HAPPY HOLIDAYS
CIAO
Ilise
