10 Ways to Conquer the Holiday Blues

By: Cassandra D. Harris-Gray
Author of 90 Days of Power: Releasing the Mind Clutter and Gaining Your God-given Power

This holiday season is in full force and people are celebrating and filled with holiday cheer. Everywhere you look the hustle and bustle seems to bring so much joy to others but to you, this season ushers in sadness and pain.

The holiday blues is real and to some the holiday season causes anxiety, stress and depression. It seems to drain your strength and zap your energy leaving you feeling overwhelmed and alone. There is no holiday magic to take the blues away but I have put together 10 tips that I believe will help get you through this season with cheer.

1. Be honest about your feelings. Don't be afraid to be honest about how you are feeling. Feeling sad, anxious, stressed, lonely, tired, and overwhelmed are common feelings experienced when dealing with holiday blues. Feelings waver and change so don't make permanent choices for your life on temporary feelings! Identifying your emotions positions you to address them and finding positive ways to cope helps elevate to them.

2. Renew family and friend connections. Spending time with friends and family in your support circle is a powerful way to spend the holidays. Positive connections help build good feelings. For distant love ones, commit to sending greetings and well wishes for the upcoming year.

3. Set healthy boundaries for yourself. It is good to know your personal limits and practice keeping your physical and emotional boundaries. Don't try to compete or compare with others be ok with your rules and not pressured by others expectations.

4. Don't spend more than you have. Excessive holiday spending can create massive anxiety, tension and stress. Set your spending limits and abide by them. Eliminate the stress of overspending during the holidays helps you feel accomplished and lowers your stress levels.

5. Release negative emotions. Negative emotions stored in our emotional core can cause depression, sadness and anxiety. Releasing emotions, such as unforgiveness, bitterness and unresolved anger, and replacing them with positive peaceful emotions helps create internal peace.

6. Reach Out Don't isolate yourself. You may be tempted to throw yourself a misery party, but refuse to allow misery to be part of your circle. Be determined to evict the automatic negative thoughts that seem to drive your response. Use positive self talk to keep misery out!!


7. Manage your time. Plan your shopping,cooking, working and all of the other holiday activities. Managing your time can help you use your life energy in a positive way making the best use of your time. Time is something you can not get back. Therefore it is imperative to plan and set realistic goals to help you experience the effective use of time.


8. Volunteer to help others. The old adage that says, "it is better to give than receive" is so true. Giving to others influences your happy endorphins to flood your core with goodness. Positive engagement with others reminds us the importance of service. Salvation Army, Community Centers, nursing homes and homeless shelters are great places to volunteer.


9. Develop an attitude of gratitude. Gratitude begins with a heart filled with thanksgiving. You become grateful when your mind reflects and becomes aware of self, others, circumstances and places recognizing the goodness in them. Develop an attitude of gratitude by being grateful for what you do have and not focusing on what you don't, should or could have. The ultimate gratitude is found by realizing that you are not at your end station of life but appreciating each step of your life journey.


10. Practice mindfulness. Instead of letting your mind go on "autopilot" into daily, ritualistic living, set aside some time to practice mindfulness. Mindfulness allows you to focus on the present moment using breathing or meditation as your focus point. This helps to you to reduce your mind clutter and regain your power to think with clarity and presence of mind.


Use these tips to beat the holiday blues and enjoy this holiday season with authentic joy and cheer! Check out my new book, 90 Days of Power as I believe will give daily guidance towards releasing your mind clutter and gaining your God-given power!