Let’s talk mental health for a moment, shall we? Since we are deep in the middle of the holiday season, now would be a good time to check in on your mental health. How are you? Now, how are you really?
At Season and Societe, we acknowledge that it is common for the holiday season to bring along tension and struggles that affect your mental health. (Not that you needed more of that this year). Although stress, anxiety, and seasonal depression can be natural this time of year for various reasons, it is important not to allow these feelings to outshine the joy and important moments that are happening all around you. When you are mindful of your mental health and wellbeing, the holiday season will be more enjoyable.
Below are some practical steps to improve your mental health during the holiday season.
5 Ways to Improve Your Mood and Mental Health During the Holidays
1. Get Some Vitamin D
Studies show that reduced levels of vitamin D in your body have been tied to higher levels of depression and anxiety as well as mood imbalances. When you take the time to enjoy the outdoors everyday, your mental health can improve significantly. Lucky for you, upping your Vitamin D consumption is a simple task!
- Exercise outside – Take a walk, go for a run, or enjoy a hike!
- Read a book on your outdoor sofa, picnic blanket or hammock.
- Sketch, create a work of art, or journal outdoors.
- Grab your laptop and a yoga mat and enjoy an online yoga or group exercise class outdoors.
- Sip a beverage from your favorite lounge chair.
Regardless of the activity, get outside. Even something as simple as sipping your coffee in the warm morning sun will provide you the necessary change of pace and respite for your day.
2. Practice Self-Awareness and Keep a Journal
Another great way to maintain your mental health during the holidays (and all the days) is to write down your thoughts and feelings in a journal. Experts refer to this self-therapy tool as expressive writing. Expressive writing is a healthy and safe way to process honest thoughts and feelings. Journaling promotes mindfulness, self-awareness, and permits you the opportunity to directly reflect on personal growth overtime.
If you are new to journaling, here 5 basic tips to get you started.
1. First, choose a journal that makes you excited to write in it.
Pick a journal in your favorite color or with your favorite print or a quote that resonates with you on the cover. (Our favorite notebooks for journaling are these Moleskine journals.
2. Then, when you sit down to journal, go into it with the mindset that your journal is a judgment-free zone.
You can write down your honest thoughts and feelings. These thoughts and feelings are meant for your eyes only. They are here for you to reflect back on in the future.
3. Make it a habit to journal.
Plan to journal at a set time each day. Set a reminder or an alarm on your phone. Research shows that it take the average person 66 days to form a habit. So be patient and be consistent.
4. When you sit down to journal, you can start by doing a “brain dump”.
Write down every thought and feeling without worrying about format, grammar, or cohesiveness.
5. After your “brain dump” session, reflect on any negative thoughts, beliefs, and areas you can control.
Identify any negative thoughts and replace them. Place a line through each negative thought and write down what you know to actually be true. Recognize the areas and situations you can control and focus on your response to those.
6. Finally, write down your goals or action steps for the day.
When you accomplish these task, be sure to celebrate and reward yourself! When you make a point to celebrate even small successes, you are teaching your brain that mental health and your personal growth is important and worth celebrating.
7. End your journal with gratitude.
What are you thankful for today? Forcing yourself to focus on the things you are thankful for allows you to change your perspective regardless of your circumstances.
3. Listen to a Podcast
Have you ever heard the saying “garbage in, garbage out”? As the saying goes, the types of thoughts you fill your head with will shape the thoughts you put out into the universe. So what better way to create positive thoughts than to fill your head with them. No matter what you are interested in, podcasts are a versatile opportunity to laugh, escape reality, learn, or grow depending on your mental needs.
Some of our staff favorites for good mental health podcasts are:
Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard
Host Dax Shepherd interviews prominent guests to discover the challenges and setbacks that make everyone human. In the midst of being inspired by guests and their stories, you will be laughing and evaluating how shortcomings and the messiness of life make people who they are today.
Happier with Gretchen Rubin
Gretchen Rubin and her sister Elizabeth Craft hold conversations around the principle of happiness and forming good habits in this award-winning podcast. Gretchen writes on her website that she believes “there’s no one-size-fits-all solution for becoming happier, healthier, more productive, or more creative; when we know ourselves and what works for us, we can change our habits and our lives.”
Painfully Self-Aware with Molly Lee
This podcast was created by Molly Lee during her “quarter-life crisis”. In this podcast, Molly Lee shares stories about her life as a self-aware, single girl in her early 20s. As generic as that sounds, she uses her educational expertise of counseling to hold vulnerable conversations around the intersection of mental health, faith, personal stories, and the framework of success.
4. Treat Yo Self
Another great way to boost your mental health during the holidays, is to treat yourself to something special or something you love.
- Attend a class you have been wanting to take
- Take the afternoon off and watch your favorite movie or take a nap.
- Go on a weekend getaway
- Book a massage.
- Buy something special you have had your eye. Especially if that something encourages you to spend more time outside exercising or partaking in any of the other mood-boosting activity. Like a new outfit from Outdoor Voices. Click here for $20 off your purchase at Outdoor Voices.
(Via: Unsplash)
5. Plan For What You Can
One of the best ways to take care of your mental health leading into the holidays is to make a plan in advance for the factors you can control.
Create a Holiday Budget.
Finances can often bring tension that affect mental health and your mood so making a budget is a great way to prepare for the holidays. To start a holiday budget, figure out what you can realistically spend and think through recurring bills during the holiday season as well. Be practical and set yourself up for success. Although new holiday decor is enticing, shop your house first! To save money, make use of natural items that are readily available, such as pinecones, juniper branches, etc. For presents, consider making gifts or baking treats for people outside of your family and close friends.
Set Boundaries.
Another way to plan ahead this season is to plan out time and set boundaries for yourself and your family. When time can be spread thin, it is important to remember to set aside time for yourself to be refreshed and for time with your immediate family.
Make it Fun!
Finally, to help get you through those inevitable annoying and stressful bits that you cannot control, turn it into laughter. Try a new trick this year, and create a Family Christmas Bingo game. Have each person fill in their cards with events likely to happen during your time together (ie. mom calls you the wrong name, uncle bob has one to many drinks, dad spills food on his shirt, etc). If you Make a little game out of the ordinarily stressful things, it helps to change your perspective. This is a fun way to add a twist to any situation and gives you something to look forward to. Let everyone in on the game or keep it between a select few – whichever makes it more enjoyable.
Above all, don’t forget about yourself this season! The holiday season is full of focusing on and caring for other people. It is natural to neglect the needs of yourself because of the hectic nature of the season. To improve your mental health and boost your mood, be sure to attend to your individual care on all levels – mind, body, and soul.