My Weird Tips to Overcoming the Holiday Season

It's the beginning of November, and you see that things are becoming festive for the upcoming holidays. It's the best time of the year for some folks. For me, its the start of a four-month love/hate relationship.

Winter and holidays are notorious for making depression and anxiety problems bad. Mine tend to hang on a wee bit longer cause of Valentine's day. I have never liked that day, even when I was married. So, in no rhyme or reason order, I've compiled a list of what I try to do.

1. Take your medication.

No problem right? On days when I'm going to be out among people or if I feel anxious before I leave my house, I will take an extra dose. It helps. BUT do ask if you can do this, I am NOT a doctor.

2. Moderate Yourself But Allow Yourself to Be Happy

This should be number one, but my priorities are a bit off. The day after a holiday, things are priced half off. Yeah, you know you like some cheep stuff. Who doesn't?

After I have the argument with myself on do I need this or not, I have to remind myself that getting myself something (especially for half off) makes me happy. This includes all that candy! I'm a diabetic, but still! There might be chocolate covered eggs from Easter hidden in the freezer. Whoever put marshmallow and chocolate together was a genius in my book. I have to step back and put it all into perspective.

3. Sleep.

Sleeping is the best! Keep in mind that staying in bed all day for days on end isn't the best. I know some weekends, I just want to sleep the whole day away, then eat dinner and probably sleep some more. That't not exactly healthy, but its nice to do absolutely nothing. Just do whats good for you. You'll know what your body needs.

4. Invest in antacids, Advil, and any other OTC meds you might need now.

Let'ts face it, between Thanksgiving and Christmas you are going to eat like crap. You have parties and gatherings everywhere and you have no clue what strange cooking is going to do to your system. Plus, let's add cooties of the world, and you are going to be a walking time bomb. Nobody wants that.  Do yourself a favor. Buy the stuff now and then suffering might be minimal.

5. Don't be grumpy.

It's super hard to not be grumpy. I get aggravated when I pull up to a place and see cars, EVERYWHERE. I just have to think, "Do I want that bad enough, or can I wait when its not a peak time of shopping?" I try to get in the right mind. Sometimes, I feel my resting witch face is on for show when I'm shopping. Family gatherings make me get grumpy until I get there and get settled. I have no clue why, it's my family.

Hope this helps! Just remember, the seasons change. I like the saying that trees lose their leaves and then they regrow them in the spring. Something like that.