Thanksgiving Stress

As we head into Thanksgiving week, you might be feeling anxious about the upcoming holiday season. Holiday stress is not uncommon. Here are some common Thanksgiving stress factors:

1. Family—holidays are so precious because of family but not everyone is excited to reunite with family members. Acknowledge your feelings to yourself if you’re not looking forward to upcoming visitors. Understand that it’s ok to feel overwhelmed by the idea of family members and all the “baggage” they bring. Just admitting to yourself that it might be tough is enough for you to not expect perfection and be prepared for the emotions that will surely arise.
2. Missing someone—whether it is someone in the military or a loved on who has passed away. You know you will experience this tremendous feeling of loss and grief and it is unavoidable. So, acknowledge it and allow yourself to feel it. Be aware that this loss exists. It’s ok to for you to feel dread about the holiday—it shows how much this person is still a part of you! 
3. Hosting at your house—you might have thought the idea sounded fine when you suggested it but now you regret volunteering to host. If possible, divide the duties so you aren’t stuck preparing the entire meal. This will help you to focus on a dish or two. Don’t stress if your house doesn’t look perfect—people are coming to see you and your family. They likely won’t notice the little things that stand out to you.
4. Overeating—it’s easy to overeat during the holidays. If you’re following a healthier eating strategy, this season can definitely throw you off. Give yourself the day of Thanksgiving to enjoy yourself and all the good food that comes with the day. You won’t thwart yourself because of one day! It might take a day or two to notice the weight fluctuation is not permanent but I promise it isn’t. Thanksgiving food has a lot of salt. Try not weighing yourself for at least three days after the big meal and get back on track on Friday. I bet you don’t even notice much of a gain. 
5. Preparing for Christmas—inevitably, once Thanksgiving is over, this brings about the Christmas season which has stresses of its own. More on that in a future post!

If you live in northern Colorado area of Fort Collins, Loveland, Greeley, Windsor, Severance, or Johnstown and want to set up a counseling appointment, contact Mending Hearts Counseling today at 970-545-1111 or at this link.