Masonicare Offers Tips For

DealingWith Holiday Blues

The days have turned cold. Festive decorations are already appearing in store windows, signaling that the holiday season is rapidly approaching. These symbols flood us with memories of magnificent holidays past and the longing for this one to be perfect. In contrast, for many people, the holidays tend to be filled with stress and unrealistic expectations, said Jack Gesino, DSW, a mental health expert with Masonic Geriatric Healthcare Center. He offers a common-sense approach to dealing with the holidays that will reduce the pressure and make them more enjoyable.

“This time of year the pace increases as we scramble to prepare for guests, make travel arrangements, plan menus, shop for gifts, decorate, and go to holiday parties,” said Dr Gesino. “The most important thing we can do is to slow down and give ourselves permission to not be perfect.” Accept that you cannot anticipate everything which might happen and you may not be able to get everything done as planned.

Permit yourself to enjoy various aspects of what you’re doing. Be more spontaneous. Remember that not everything needs to be planned in advance or run smoothly. Do what you can, but also allow the holiday season to unfold as it will.

Understand that at this time of year, it is common for feelings of sadness to surface. “It’s important to acknowledge your feelings, but you need not dwell on them,” said Dr Gesino. “Allow yourself to laugh. This is one positive way of dealing with the stress and sad feelings you may experience during the holiday.”

Take some time out to ponder the meaning of the holiday for you. Ask yourself what type of holiday experience you would like and how you can achieve it. “You must take responsibility for your own fulfillment. No one can do it for you,” Dr Gesino said. If you know you aren’t going to enjoy an activity, find an alternative rather than suffer in silence. If you do opt to participate, decide in advance to enjoy yourself the best you can.

Most important, do not assume total responsibility for the happiness of your entire family. Plan together, delegate authority and share in the responsibilities. Refuse to feel guilty about how the holiday is going or that it is different from previous years.

Remember, if you think of the entire holiday experience as a moment-to-moment process, you will find that there is much more to enjoy. Take some time to spend with those who are important to you. And don’t forget to count your blessings.