Tips for Avoiding a Blue Holiday

The holiday season is upon us. As I write this I am watching the snow pile up outside my office window here in Northwest Crossing. For some, the holidays no longer bring joy. Instead they bring with them painful memories of loss, disappointment, or abandonment. Here a few tips for keeping your spirits up and shaping your holiday season:

• Don’t numb out with alcohol or drugs. They only prolong the pain and keep the negative associations going.
• Connect with a new community. Try out Fleet Feet Bend’s Winter Warrior’s group, go on a snowshoe with the Forest Service, or get inspired by a Cascade Mountaineers Meeting. Whatever you choose, the holidays are a great excuse to get out and try something new.
• GIVE. Volunteer your time or your talents. Make the season about giving back this year.
• Write a new story. Never underestimate the power of pen and paper. Write in detail your new story. What do you want the holidays to be like? Who do you enjoy being around? What needs to happen to have that kind of holiday next year?
• Be true to yourself. Have family members you dread seeing each year? Then don’t. Let those feelings being your guide this holiday season and give yourself permission to insulate yourself with people who leave you feeling good about yourself.
• Keep those New Year goals in mind. Want to loose weight, get in shape, change careers, learn to sew?  Whatever your goal is keep an eye out for things you can set into place now and help those goals stick.