5 Ways To Cope During The Pandemic Holidays

How do we celebrate when we can’t be together as last year? How do we deal with more disappointment and frustration — The COVID-19 pandemic has been extremely stressful and isolating for many people. Plus, the holidays often can be demanding with the pressure of — cooking, shopping, cleaning and entertaining others. With COVID-19 spreading, there may be more additional stress on self or worrying about your loved ones. Feeling stressed, sad, overwhelmed or anxious may also surface because holiday plans will tremendously look different this year as a result of the pandemic. And let’s not forget that even before the pandemic, the holidays were already stressful enough. So here I am giving you 5 ways and tips to cope through this holiday season while making it a season to remember.

1) ACCEPT REALITY- once we are able to accept reality for what it is, then we can plan and look forward to meaningful connections, joy and a more in depth sense of purpose for life. Acceptance is a powerful word because we know what we can control. Therefore, when we let go of trying to control the world or people we can strive for a more sense of comfort. So I say this to remind everyone that this pandemic is going to be here for a while. Let’s not say “oh I will do this when things go back to normal”. Newsflash-things are not going back to normal anytime soon. This is the new normal.

2) HAVE A SMALL GATHERING- remember those? Everything doesn’t have to be grandiose. Enjoy the cooking, the holiday spirit, and the moments with the folks in your household. And, you can still have zoom meetings with those who don’t live amongst family— from a distance. And if your pushy family member is upset about your decisions—have a mature, open and honest conversation with them. This is where gratitude plays an important factor…Be so grateful that you are alive to hear that persons voice or be in their presence whether physically or virtually.

3) OWN YOUR EMOTIONS- we all have them. If you’re feeling sad, displaced, angry or lost—confront it. Call a family member or speak to a trusted friend. It’s valid and healthy to acknowledge negative emotions or even disappointment. Ignoring them and keeping them bottled up is not the way to go. Please be honest with how you feel—it’s ok to feel sad that the holidays are different this year, but there’s also different plans to embark on.

4) VOLUNTEER SAFELY AT A SOUP KITCHEN- if you’re used to being alone and feeling depressed—get out there! Don’t be afraid to reach out and help someone. Reach out to those in your family, your neighborhood or your community who might also welcome company, a phone call or support. Just be safe and follow guidelines.

5) CELEBRATE SOLO AT HOME- for most, this is hard. But it’s one of the most rejuvenating experiences one can attain. Have fun celebrating YOU and only YOU. Take the time to reconnect with your own self and nurture that feeling. Call it a season of self care and explore what that means to you. Usually how we feel is based on society’s expectations of how we should be as a person. Let’s create our own mood and traditions this holiday season. So grab a bottle of wine, a good book and have a wonderful solo holiday experience.

The only way through a difficult time is forward. I hope that this post has helped anyone with these emotions discussed above. Remember be safe and stay blessed.

XOXO