A Different Kind of Holiday Season
Meeting December with Intentionality and Steadiness
December greetings!
The holiday season is upon us, and I don’t know about you, but for me December arrives with a kind of tangled energy. It can offer warmth and joy, and it can feel fast moving, pressure filled, and consumer driven. For many, this time of year can bring overwhelm and loneliness. There may be grief for loved ones who are no longer here and for the family we wish we had. Some people may be navigating early recovery from addiction while gatherings often revolve around alcohol. Financial strain can also be a common challenge.
TIPS FOR NAVIGATING THE HOLIDAYS
Amid the myriad of emotions that December can bring, here are five strategies that can help steady you at this time of year.
Begin your day in silence, without your phone, and write down three things you feel grateful for. Acknowledge the good and give yourself a moment to really take it in. I use the 5 Minute Journal and have for years, and I appreciate how simple it makes this routine. Practicing gratitude leads to positive changes in mood, resilience, and overall wellbeing (Russell and Fosha, 2008), and even a few minutes each morning can help you feel uplifted.
Move your body daily. I walk the dog, walk to my office, go to the gym regularly, and practice yoga. These activities keep me relatively grounded and sane. Movement helps me discharge anxiety and stress and avoid stagnation. Research shows that regular physical activity improves mood and enhances sleep, among other benefits.
Be of service. Volunteer and give back. This will help you as well as others. Research shows that spending time helping others evokes a sense of meaning and appreciation. Ask yourself: How can I contribute meaningfully?
Exercise your “no.” Set limits and boundaries to protect your energy. The phrase “allow me to disappoint you” is a concept that I continue to work on. Dr. Gabor Maté asserts that setting boundaries is essential for emotional and physical well being. Constantly suppressing one’s needs in favour of others contributes to stress and burnout. Check out Maté’s book When the Body Says No to learn more about the cost of appeasing.
Practice self-compassion. Turn toward yourself with warmth and friendliness, especially when things feel difficult. So often we are harsh, critical, and judgmental toward ourselves. Many of you know that I value the work of Dr. Kristen Neff, a pioneer in the study of self-compassion. There are evidence based recorded practices on her website that I use personally and share with clients.
This December I invite you to pick one of the above strategies and experiment with putting it into consistent action. Practicing things over and over creates new habits by strengthening neural pathways, making behaviours easier to sustain over time. Please know I am cheering you on and I would love to hear how it goes.
AN ONGOING INVITATION
I guide a Gentle Yoga class at 889Community on Friday mornings at 10:00 am. The class is suitable for anyone. We explore mindful movement, breathing practices, simple meditation, and intentional rest. Preregistration on their website is recommended.
Yoga is a holistic system, and regular practice has been shown to support the reduction of stress, anxiety, and depression.
If you can’t make it to this class, I understand. If you’d like some free home practices for this month, you can find them at here.
COUNSELLING UPDATE
My counselling practice is almost at capacity. I see people in person on Mondays in the Yonge/Summerhill area and Tuesday through Thursdays I work with clients online. For inquiries, please reach out tolisamitchell@mac.com. If you are curious about my counselling practice, please visit my offerings page to learn more.
“Caring for myself is not self-indulgent, it is self-preservation.”
This holiday season, I am sending you courage, conviction, and tenacity in your endeavour to support yourself. I’m stepping away from work to be with family from December 18th to January 4th. I look forward to connecting with you in 2026.
Wishing you peace and health,
PS If you enjoyed this newsletter and think someone else might find it helpful, I’d be grateful if you shared it with them.