SERIES: STAYING HEALTHY AND HAPPY DURING THE HOLIDAYS
The holidays are a time when we often feel stressed. There is a long to-do list, extended family members come over, and we generally have a lot going on. It can be difficult to manage all of this and still have a good time. One way to reduce holiday stress is to set strong boundaries. Boundaries are healthy limits that we set in order to take care of ourselves. They help us avoid uncomfortable situations and improve our health and relationships. If you are struggling with setting boundaries, here are FOUR tips to get you started:
- Know your limits — recognized your limits, stretching yourself beyond these can cause undo stress effecting mental health and relationships.
- Speak up — share your thoughts and feelings to avoid resentment about yourself, others or the situation. Use \”I\” statements to share your feelings: \”I feel (state your emotion) when (behaviour that you don’t like) because or but (the effect that the behaviour has on you)\”
- Just say “no”— Saying \”no\” is a complete statement and doesn\’t have to require an explanation.
- Practice self-compassion — Many times we are our own worst enemies and we forget to love ourselves and acknowledge we are doing the best we can. Don’t forget to appreciate yourself, maybe something that will support your mental health or encourage a new and healthy hobby.
Take a look at our other boundaries and holiday-related blog posts: