8 Ways to Practice Self-Care During the Holidays

While the holidays can be a joyous time of year, they can also be quite triggering, even isolating, for many. Not only is there added pressure that comes with seeing loved ones, but the in-your-face consumerism of the season can feel overwhelming at times. The holidays also bring a unique set of expectations to the table: the ones we have of ourselves and others and the expectations others have of us. Talk about pressure, am I right?

If this resonates with you, you’re not alone. Many young people feel increasing amounts of anxiety and depression around the holidays due to the interruption of their routine, pressure to socialize and give gifts, and other added responsibilities. In fact, one study found that 38% of people felt increased amounts of stress around this time of year. That’s why self-care and finding time for yourself is crucial during this time of year.

Not all is doom and gloom, though. I love holiday cheer as much as the next person, and there are plenty of ways that we can lean into it and take care of ourselves in the process.

If you’re feeling like the Grinch this holiday season, these self-care tips might just make your heart grow three sizes larger ;)

1. Stick to a routine.

The holiday season means a break from school or work for many of us, which means a break from our usual routines. While having more free time can feel liberating, it also can lend itself to sliding into some not-so-great habits.

I mean, who else jumps at the chance to stay up late watching cheesy holiday movies and then sleep in until noon? Guilty!

It can be fun to let loose during this time, but remember how hard it’s going to be to go back to your routine once school or work starts again. The dread of going back can cause major anxiety, so consider sticking to your regular sleep schedule as much as possible during the holidays.

Also, think about the other non-negotiables in your already-existing self-care repertoire. If hitting the gym, journaling, meditation, etc. are part of your everyday routine, don’t let them fall to the wayside just because it’s the holidays.

2. Give yourself space to acknowledge your feelings.

Since this is the season of joy and cheer, allowing ourselves space to feel complex emotions can feel more challenging than ever. There’s this looming pressure to be merry and happy during the holidays, but what if we’re grieving? working through sadness? anxious about seeing so many family members?

Whatever emotion you feel is valid, no matter what. The harsh truth is that not everybody will validate your feelings, so it’s crucial that you do that for yourself. Though it’s easier said than done, giving yourself space to acknowledge what you’re feeling is a fearless act of self-love that can make a huge difference in how we show up for the world.

One great way to practice this is to journal. While it can take some time to build a consistent journaling practice, having a space where you can write down how you’re feeling is a great way to actively acknowledge your emotions in a judgment-free zone. Try this prompt: Write 5 things that you learned about yourself this year. Another way is to express yourself through art, music, or any other creative outlet that resonates with you.

3. Start a new holiday tradition.

If you’re looking for a way to jazz up your current holiday celebrations or simply want to focus on something that truly brings you a sense of joy and purpose, consider pitching a new holiday tradition to your family. It can be anything that resonates with you, from cooking a new dish to playing a new board game or even just taking a drive together to see the lights in your neighborhood.

Taking initiative to bring the people you love together around a new tradition gives you something to look forward to beyond gifts and large gatherings.

4. Do a Vibe Check.

1 in 5 teens will face mental illness in their lifetime. That means that if you’re going through it this holiday season, chances are one of your friends is as well. DoSomething’s Vibe Check Resource Guide is here to help, with a whole host of mental health resources in an easy-to-use, easy-to-share, downloadable guide.

Check out the guide for yourself and pass it to a friend who could use it too.

5. Rethink gift giving.

One of the added pressures we may feel during the holidays is the expectation to give material gifts to our loved ones. Even if gift giving is your love language, it can be stressful on our minds AND our wallets to buy something for everyone we would like to.

To take some of the pressure off, consider a different kind of gift giving this season. From cute photo frames to homemade bath products, there are plenty of things that you can make yourself (I love this list of ideas). Not only are homemade gifts way more affordable, but they’re more personal and can even be super fun to make.

With the added free time during the holiday break, why not spend a day crafting something special for your loved ones? You can even invite a friend over and have a full-blown holiday craft day, complete with yummy snacks and a killer playlist.

6. Volunteer with your loved ones.

The holidays are a great opportunity to give back to our communities, as many places like homeless shelters, soup kitchens, and food pantries have higher demands during this time of year. Spending time volunteering with family members and friends is a wonderful way to bond over a shared desire to strengthen your community. Plus, there are even stress-relieving benefits of volunteering that can help foster joy and togetherness for both you and your loved ones.

Guess what? We have a program to help you find ways to give back to your community this holiday season. We teamed up with the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® to build our Strength Through Service program, which has 6 different initiatives that you can participate in alone or with others.

7. Stop comparison in its tracks.

It can be tough to see others seemingly having a blast during the holidays via social media. Many people might go on vacation this time of year or flex their presents, which can set us up to compare our own situation to theirs. This is a great time to remind ourselves that what we see on social media isn’t always an accurate picture of someone’s reality. That said, if you catch yourself in a comparison loop, it might be a good time to take a break from following certain accounts, or even social media in general. You can use Instagram’s mute feature to stop specific accounts from popping up on your feed, or delete some apps from your phone entirely.

8. Set boundaries.

Spending extra time with family members due to holiday parties can be stressful, especially when we share different beliefs and perspectives on the things that are important to us. Especially when the holidays come after big elections, the possibility of tense conversations during family gatherings can feel daunting.

Consider adding boundary setting to your self-care toolkit this holiday season to cope with these kinds of interactions. Setting boundaries will look different to each person, but might include communicating to loved ones that you’re not up for political conversations, letting family members know that you need some alone time, or even deciding not to participate in a gathering or event altogether.

Setting boundaries doesn’t mean you have to disengage altogether, though. Sometimes it just means making your wants and needs clearer to others, so that they can understand how you would like to interact with them. If potential political conversations are on your mind, you can also check out these 9 tips for navigating them this holiday season.

Self-care is key any time of year, but the holidays pose unique challenges to our usual routines. When everybody else seems to be hustling and trying to end the year strong, there’s nothing wrong with wrapping up 2022 softly. That way, we can start 2023 with a fresh perspective, ready to take action and transform self-care into community care.