Well, it’s that time of year (filled with happiness and cheer?), and there are so many things to be happy about. Why, then, do a lot of us find ourselves completely stressed out? Especially during the holidays, which should theoretically be the times of our happiest memories?

For the most part, they are. At least during childhood. Once we grow up, though, and start trying to become real adults, the holidays increasingly become the time of year where we are constantly worried, overworked, and overwhelmed.

First, if you’re a student, how on earth can you enjoy the happiest time of the year when all you can think about is finals? Forget about the Christmas season, we have exams-essays-projects-and-presentations season.

If you’re a working parent, then you have cranky children to appease, winter coats to buy, flu season to tackle, plastic reindeer to pose, Christmas cards to print, in-laws to (secretly) loathe, and a host of other problems.

Even if you’re young and single, Christmas can be such a bummer. I mean, let’s face it – you’re young. You’re single. And it’s Christmas.

Mistletoe, romantic walks (made slightly less romantic by the fact that you both resemble the marshmallows in your hot chocolate cups), images of sharing the first winter snow together, bundled up like little snow burritos as you watch movies and eat popcorn.

This is all fine and good, except that you’re, ahem, single. How are you supposed to feel the warmth and happiness of the holidays now?

The answer to this is surprisingly simple – stop thinking about this season as a time for couples. Yes, you’ll see them everywhere. More so if you’re not one of them. That’s just the way life works. But there are many, many other ways to enjoy the times between now and Christmas by yourself, or with friends.

When did we become so drunk on the idea of being in a perfect relationship during the holidays? And then, when this fails to happen, we feel so dissatisfied and unhappy and end up thinking we’re going to be the person with a million cats and no friends?

It’s pretty clichéd, but happiness doesn’t depend on other people. We often fail to realize how resilient we are, and overestimate the effect falling out of relationships will have on our happiness and well-being.

If it doesn’t depend on other people, why does it so often feel as though it does? We can probably blame society and its norms (this, unfortunately, includes the shamelessly predictable Hallmark Christmas movies) for this.

Really, though, we are all perfectly capable of being well and truly happy with friends, or even by ourselves. Although no one should be alone for Christmas. Seriously. Go find someone. I hear Uber drivers are usually pretty good company.

Go bowling! Ice skating! Shopping! Take a gingerbread-house-making class! Yes, those really exist! Watch movies! Watch the snow fall! (Or whatever precipitation is occurring in your parts of the world.)

You have so much to be thankful for, to be happy about. Instead of thinking about what you don't have, think about what you do, and create your own happiness.