‘Tis the season to be jolly, but all too often we find ourselves feeling stressed out rather than joyful this time of year. Though the holiday season can be stressful at times, it is important to remember the true reason for the season and to stay positive.
It seems year after year Thanksgiving is the kickoff to a season of greed and discontentment. Just hours after finishing the Thanksgiving meal, people rush out to begin the frenzy of holiday shopping, overspending, and complaining. So many people spend the holidays comparing themselves to others and are disappointed when they feel like they don’t measure up to those around them. We complain about the lack of square footage and not enough oven space while preparing a feast for our families, meanwhile forgetting that millions of people are going to bed hungry and homeless each night.
One excellent way to stay positive during the holiday season is to get involved with a local charity. Whether you spend a day feeding the homeless or giving out toys to local children, seeing how other people live will open your eyes to how truly fortunate you are. Getting the entire family involved can be a wonderful learning opportunity for children. Seeing so many kids who don’t get presents makes it awfully hard to complain about not getting exactly what you wanted on Christmas morning.
Another key practice to staying positive is to stop comparing yourself to others. Everyone has a different idea of how the holidays should be. Don’t feel disheartened when your family doesn’t decorate as elaborately as the house next door. After all, happiness is not related to the size of your Christmas tree or the number of presents under it.
Remember the true meaning of the season and don’t get overwhelmed by the details associated with this time of year. The heart of the holidays is love and peace. Rather than getting stressed out by holiday traffic, long lines at the mall, or maxing out your credit card, focus on showing love and compassion to the people around you. When you do this, you can’t help but enjoy the holiday season.
