Mental Health s r e tt Ma
Tis the season to be….? Joyfully navigating the silly season! By Derran Heney The festive season is just around the corner. Can you feel it? The ‘silly season’ as it’s fondly known as, can feel truly wonderful and exciting, only that it’s also a busy time with competing demands and often limited time constraints. As the weeks draw near, so too does the craziness and the pressure to get everything done in time. We all know how it goes. As the weeks go by there are more invitations out to events, with most weeknights and weekends accounted for in some way or another. Shopping centres become overcrowded, loud and hectic – shopping takes longer, and finding a car park is trying! People too, often have less patience, but feeling pressured to do their utmost to get everything done. Money can be tight! Figuring out what to buy your loved ones, and worrying whether you’ve bought enough can be extremely stressful. Some people respond to feeling stressed, by becoming irritable, feeling short tempered or overwhelmed. For some they may worry and feel anxious,
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Supernal Magazine
nervous or afraid or even feel over-burdened. For some this can be a time of sadness, grief and feeling lonely as they miss their loved ones.
“Figuring out what to buy your loved ones, and worrying whether you’ve bought enough can be extremely stressful.” It really doesn’t sound like too much fun! Yet, we love the festive season. Feeling overwhelmed during this time is a normal psychological and physical reaction to the crazy bustling festive season, and we have become used to that - however is there a calmer way to approach the ‘season to be jolly’?
What helps to reduce stress in the lead up to the festive seasons? Make a list: It’s not just for Santa. Making a list of all the tasks you want to achieve is a solid way to remember what you need to so, but also helps to keep check of time and planning activities. Consider your budget; what can you realistically afford, and what do you want to spend on Christmas? The two can be different. Some budgets can blow out and create a debt type of situation for the new year ahead which seems a bit counterproductive. If paying on a credit card, consider when you can pay it back and whether it will cost you more in interest. Is there another way? Can spending be scaled down? Kris-Kringle is a great way to have fun and ensure the budget stays intact. Know your limits: Do you have to attend every party or event? Can gatherings be combined? Maybe if things are too busy, there might be solutions outside the square to be considered. Family or friends may be able to assist? Remember too that ‘no’ is not a bad word: There are ways to say it that does not offend. Friend therapy: talking with a good friend or supportive person can help ease the burden of the silly season, also considering friends often have good advice and way to see things differently.
