Coping With Holiday Stress: Simple Strategies for a Calmer Season
The holidays often bring a mix of excitement and pressure. While we may look forward to time off, traditions, and reconnecting with loved ones, this season can also heighten stress emotionally, socially, and financially. Many people notice increased anxiety, exhaustion, or tension during this time of year, and it’s completely valid to feel that mix.
Here are a few gentle strategies to support your mental health this season:
1. Keep Expectations Realistic
Holiday stress is often rooted in “shoulds”- how we should feel, how smoothly gatherings should go, how happy we should appear. Instead of holding yourself to an ideal, try focusing on what’s meaningful, doable, and authentic for you this year.
2. Build in Small Moments of Rest
Busy schedules and constant stimulation can overwork the nervous system. Short pauses throughout the day can help you reset:
Step outside for a few breaths
Slow, mindful breathing (inhale 3, hold 4, exhale 5)
A warm drink and a quiet corner (a nap, if you can)
Think of these moments as brief emotional resets - not luxuries.
3. Set Gentle Boundaries
Whether with family, friends, or work, boundaries protect your emotional capacity. You might choose to:
Limit the length of visits
Steer away from topics that feel overwhelming
Say no to commitments that stretch you thin
Leave early if you need to
Boundaries allow you to stay connected without feeling depleted.
4. Notice Your Emotional Triggers
The holidays can stir up old patterns, grief, or complicated family dynamics. Reflecting ahead of time on what feels challenging can help you respond instead of react. Ask yourself:
What situations usually heighten my stress?
What coping tools help me feel grounded?
Who can I reach out to if I need support?
Awareness creates room for choice.
5. Offer Yourself Compassion
If the holidays feel heavy, lonely, or stressful, nothing is “wrong” with you. Try speaking to yourself the way you would to someone you care about:
“This is a lot, and I’m doing my best.”
“It makes sense that I feel this way.”
“I don’t have to match anyone else’s holiday experience.”
Compassion softens the pressure and helps you move through the season with more ease.
When to Seek Support
While holiday stress is common, it’s important to reach out if the season begins to affect your well-being in deeper ways. Consider connecting with a mental health professional if you notice:
Persistent sadness, anxiety, or irritability
Feeling overwhelmed or unable to cope
Difficulty sleeping, eating, or concentrating
Dread or panic around family interactions or gatherings
Old wounds, trauma responses, or grief resurfacing more strongly
A loss of interest in activities that usually feel grounding
Feeling isolated, disconnected, or misunderstood
Struggles with boundaries or people-pleasing that leave you depleted
Therapy provides a supportive, non-judgmental space to explore these experiences, understand underlying patterns, and build tools that help you move through the season with more stability and clarity.
Our team at Lotus Counselling supports clients with anxiety, stress, family dynamics, grief, and emotional overwhelm - during the holidays and throughout the year. If you feel you could benefit from additional support, we’re here to help.
📞 Contact Lotus Counselling today to learn more about therapy options that support better mental health and wellbeing