Hi and welcome to December!
According to 88% of Europeans and North Americans, this is the most stressful time of the year.
Oof.
But wait, there is good news in this. We’ve been talking together for a while (if you’re new here, welcome!) about stress. It’s a normal reaction to change. So let’s think this through to a strategy that works for you.
- Change is stressful, and December brings a lot of potential for change compared to the rest of the year. Changing finances, different schedules, more demands on your free time, more people taking off from work, more pressure to create or maintain traditions, maybe even changed expectations of yourself.
- Change makes us feel loss, distrust and discomfort. Even for folks who LOVE the holidays, our brains are always on the lookout for danger, so all change pinches a little (or a lot). You may find yourself awake when you want to be asleep, thinking about what you’re not getting done, or how you may not live up to those traditions or expectations, or uncomfortable with the plans you have.
- Resilience is the ability to navigate change and come through it the kind of person you want to be. And resilience requires JUST ONE THING: remember that you have choices.
That’s right – you’re the adult. And that is excellent news, because that means you get to decide what you do. Stop arguing with me in your head – you do get to decide how you want to navigate all this change. You DO get to decide on the kind of person you want to be.
So now…
- Match your actions to your priorities.
How?
Answer this question: What kind of person do you want to be at the end of the holidays?Please do answer – you’re welcome to hit reply and tell me! I’ll keep it confidential.
What priorities will get you closer to being that person?
Make some of THOSE choices. Because you’re the grown up. You get to decide what actions you’ll take and which you won’t.
Let your priorities guide your “no” and your “yes” this month. Every time you say no to something outside your priorities, you have more time and resources to say yes to resilience and happiness.
What’s a choice you can make that will help you navigate holiday change so you can be more the kind of person you want to be at the end of it all?
All my best,
Dr. G
