Christmas is my all-time favorite holiday. I always used to be a kid at heart around Christmastime who got unnecessarily excited about anything and everything related to the holiday.
But somewhere along the transition into serious adulthood, the chaos of prepping for the holidays while juggling everything else life throws my way during that time has somewhat darkened my Christmas spirit. I’m sure many others can attest to the fact that the stress factor seems to skyrocket during the holidays because it’s more items added to the to-do list.
Putting the stress and rushing around aside, there are several other reasons why people get down around the holidays:
- Friends and family may live around the world and it’s impossible to see all the people we love and care about most.
- We miss loved ones who are no longer with us, and the holidays always make that missing piece seem bigger.
- For some people, the “winter blues” is really a serious disorder called SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) that isn’t easy to shake or overcome, even during the most wonderful time of the year.
Whether you’re on vacation and relishing in a relaxing holiday season or you’re running around like mad trying to get everything done (I’m currently somewhere in the middle right now), let’s make this promise together:
I will find AT LEAST one reason to be happy this holiday season.
This is my one and only wish for each and every person who reads this post. No matter what you’re dealing with in life right now, I hope you can find at least one thing in your life that is worth celebrating during the holidays.
I have several friends who experienced (and currently are experiencing) very dark and difficult times this year, so I know it’s easier said than done to pull that one glimmer of sunshine out of all the doom and gloom. But it’s there. I promise. You just have to find. And you have to want to find it.
If you need some inspiration, I like the suggestions in this article about 10 ways to beat the holiday blues.
So, what do you say? Can you put aside your strife and promise to focus on all things happy and good during the holidays? I plan to.