The holidays are often a stressful and demanding time. Adding the pandemic into the mix can make this year seem downright unbearable. However, we would like to share some practical tips that can minimize the stress and hopefully add joy into the this unusual holiday season.

1. Acknowledge your feelings. Realize the sadness or grief you feel with not being with loved ones is ok and normal. We can’t force being happy even during the holidays.
2. Reach out. Find ways to keep yourself connected. Online support groups, virtual events and community events can offer support and companionship.
3. Be realistic. Since we can’t all be together during this season, try to figure out unique ways to celebrate together. Video calls, text, calls and sharing videos are all options to share familiar traditions.
4. Set aside differences. We are all feeling the stress and roller coaster of emotions of the holidays. Try putting aside negative feelings until a more suitable time for discussion.
5. Stick to a budget. With the pandemic came financial difficulties that have come in all shapes and sizes. Come up with how much money you can afford before buying. Try not to buy happiness.
6. Plan ahead. Try setting times for specific activities. Planning ahead can help reduce stress and avoids last minute scrambling.
7. Learn to say no.
8. Don’t abandon healthy habits. Get plenty of sleep. Eat healthy snacks to help with over indulgence. Avoid excessive alcohol and drug use. Use healthy coping skills. Overindulgence will only add to the strain and guilt.
9. Take a breather. Make sure to take some time for yourself. Taking a break can help refresh and help with clearing your mind and restoring peace. Read a book. Knit. Take a walk.
10. Seek professional help if needed. Even with all of the hard work, feeling down, sad and overwhelmed is still possible. Please reach out to your doctor or e mental health professional as soon as you can.

Resource:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress/art-20047544

The post Holidays during a Pandemic first appeared on Lutheran Family and Children's Services of Missouri.

Stick with your routine: Don’t forget about the healthy choices you make the other 11 months of the year!  Continue to work out, eat healthy and get plenty of sleep.  The better you feel, the better you’ll be when with family and friends and the easier it will be transitioning into 2018.

Pamper yourself: Schedule time for yourself and put it on the calendar.  Whether it’s a day at the spa, an at home mani/pedi, cuddling up with a good book or a holiday movie marathon, pick an activity you enjoy and make it happen.  Give yourself permission to focus on just you.

Lower your expectations: This holiday, give yourself a break and lower your self-expectations by taking things off your to-do list.  If store bought cookies under the Christmas tree or a pre-made dip for the work holiday party mean you get to bed at a reasonable time, then it’s worth it.

Say No/Don’t Over Commit: Make plans to spend time with people you enjoy.  This may mean saying no to a few gatherings and that’s okay.  Or, ask another family member to host the annual gathering, freeing up some of your time and energy to focus on your self-care.

Allow yourself to grieve:  During this time, many people remember losses over the holidays.  Take time to think about and remember those special people.

Shop online and in the comfort of your own home.  If you find that you have to go out into the hustle and bustle of stores, plan ahead and allow yourself enough time so you don’t feel rushed.

Give back and spend time focusing on others.  There are many volunteer opportunities this time of year. Check with your local paper for opportunities to give back.  Sometimes the best self-care is not focusing on ourselves at all, but rather the help and hope we can bring to others.

The post Keep Calm and Holiday On: Self-Care Ideas for the Holiday Season first appeared on Lutheran Family and Children's Services of Missouri.

For many, family celebrations are a joyous time, but there are few perfect Norman Rockwell families. Usually, there are at least a few sharp edges and obstacles that need to be navigated.

There are many reasons why spending time with family over the holidays can be challenging: if there are unresolved resentments or rivalries; if you’ve had a difficult year that has had some reverses; if you’ve experienced the loss of a family member; if there is ongoing tension or conflict; if a family member is abusive or troubled. The list is endless.

In a split second, we can revert back to childhood dynamics and childhood roles. Couple that with too much stress, irregular schedules, overeating, overdrinking and overspending and you have a recipe for trouble.

It’s vital to remember that we have no control over other people and their behavior. We only have the power to control our own reactions and behavior. Whether you are religious or not, the common sense advice from the serenity prayer can help. “Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.”

Here are a few other survival tips:

DO

• Have realistic expectations.
• Set your own boundaries and limits in advance.
• Give the benefit of the doubt.
• Listen more than you talk.
• Keep a sense of humor.

DON’T

• Expect to change people.
• Try to solve other people’s problems.
• Let your buttons be pushed.
• Push other people’s buttons.
• Drink too much, which lowers inhibitions.

Read the original article here

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