Welcome to the official opening of holiday season! Halloween has passed and the clocks have been set back. ‘Tis the season to be jolly -- or what some may say -- ‘tis the season to be stressed out. The holiday season can be extremely stressful. Who’s hosting Thanksgiving this year? If we go to Uncle James’s house for Thanksgiving, we are obligated to go to crazy Aunt Linda’s house for her new Chrismahanakwanzika party. ‘Tis the season where you can’t find anything on your niece’s Christmas list, because the mall turns into “The Hunger Games.” ‘Tis the season where if you have anything like Autism Spectrum Disorder or Generalized Anxiety Disorder, your only wish is that all the madness would end. Regardless of where you stand, here are a few things to remember during the holiday season:
1. You are lucky if you have nothing to complain about.
There are tons of people that dread the holiday season because it constantly reminds them of what they do not have. Some people don’t have family or money to spend during this time. Be thankful of everyone in your life and everything that you have.
2. Honor our veterans and people currently serving in the military.
Think about all the people who have sacrificed not seeing their families for the holidays. Think about the families who have lost their loved ones in combat and cannot be with them during this time.
3. It's not a competition.
Holidays should not be about who can give the biggest gift or throw the biggest party. Instead, we should be cherishing the moments that we have together.
4. It's OK to be emotional.
Holidays can bring a variety of different triggers and emotional distress. This is normal and nothing to be ashamed of. We are all human. Take those emotions and embrace them -- conquer them. And last but NOT least...
5. Take care of yourself.
We all want to be heroes sometimes, but do not forget about yourself. Take time to rest. Take time to exercise. I know it is the season where all eating habits go down the drain, but remember that this can also lead you to illness. Viruses are running around in this season and if you don’t take care of yourself, they will make sure you’re in bed for at least a couple days.
