Navigating the Start of the Holiday Season as a Young Adult
Written By: Linsi Grose, LICSW, LCSW
Holiday Expectations for Young Adults Can be Daunting
While it’s hard to wrap my head around 2024 being around the corner, making it to the new year also requires taking on the holiday season. The holiday season tends to be looked upon as a time to celebrate family, friends, and togetherness with a special focus on gratitude. But, what if you just aren’t feeling very grateful this year? Holiday cheer does not ring true for everyone, the holiday season can be filled with stress, anxiety, and deep feelings of loneliness. It can be a reminder of loved ones we have lost, strained relationships, and a number of other triggers. As a young adult, the expectations of the holiday season can be daunting, to say the least.
If this feels relatable to you, know you are not alone. These are common emotions among young adults this time of year. Despite these feelings, you deserve to have a peaceful holiday season. I encourage you to begin to explore how you can normalize the highs and lows of the holidays, while also prioritizing your own mental health as a young adult. Here are some tips to help you navigate your mental health journey, through the weeks ahead. Proactivity and creating a plan of action for support can help alleviate the pressures leading up to the most ____ time of the year (insert your feeling word here).
Create Time For Self-care
It is easy to get lost in the expectation that the holiday season is about showing up for our family, friends, and loved ones. This requires a bit of a paradigm shift in acknowledging that those extrinsic pressures make it even more important to show up for yourself first.
This could look like setting boundaries and carving out downtime to recharge in between festivities. It's important to note that taking care of yourself can look very different depending on your needs and may vary throughout the season. Self-care can include getting out in nature, taking a break from social media, taking a long cozy nap, or even setting a budget for holiday spending.
Check-In With Yourself
Take some time to check in with yourself to gain a deeper understanding of how you are feeling as the holidays get closer. Acknowledge if there are any expectations or situations that are causing you stress. Note these situations, and make a plan of action ahead of time.
If you are struggling to sit down and check in with yourself, mindfulness can be a helpful self-care tool throughout the season. This time of the year moves very quickly and it's easy to get overwhelmed. There’s a lot of added stimulation and it can be helpful to set aside intentional time to check in with yourself and slow down. Some ideas that can be helpful are meditation, mindful breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, journaling, mindful walks, or aromatherapy. You can even utilize mindfulness while baking, cooking, or decorating by tapping into your five senses- noting that sensory experiences tend to bring us more mindfully into the present moment.
Setting New Expectations
Sometimes we get stuck in the mindset that we have to do the holidays the same every single year, even if this means spending time doing things that you know make you feel uncomfortable. You have the power to change your experience.
Remind yourself that saying “no” is a complete sentence. You can decline to attend an event, and you can say no to answering questions from family members. Boundaries allow you the space to enter the holiday season on your own terms.
Become Aware of Thoughts and Feelings Surrounding the Holidays
Try to take some time to gain awareness of your thoughts and feelings as you enter the holidays. Notice if you are getting stuck in negative thought patterns, or feeling pressured to participate in events that don’t support your mental health.
If you notice yourself resonating with some of the examples above, you can start to shift expectations for yourself. For example, if you know a specific family member is going to ask you about dating or relationships, you can create a plan ahead of time to give a response you are comfortable with. Another example could be creating a plan to leave a situation if you begin to feel uncomfortable, and setting that time boundary firmly.
Start New Traditions
As a young adult, this may be your first time spending the holidays on your own. This can be scary and lonely as you are watching others on social media post celebrations with their family and friends back home. Or, perhaps you’ve decided being around certain relatives isn’t good for your mental health, and you are opting to change your plans this year.
Your self-care and mental well-being is the most important gift you can give yourself this holiday season! Traditions are fun if they support your mental well-being. If they don’t, you may want to consider creating new traditions. You don’t have to settle for an uncomfortable experience, just because it has become normalized in your family over time.
Give Yourself Permission to Move Beyond Old Traditions
Take this as a sign to give yourself permission to start the new tradition that you’ve been thinking about. It can be spending time with people in your life you feel supported by. It can be cooking a meal or a recipe you found online. It can be attending an event within your community. Consider what traditions you would like to implement in your own life if given the choice (which you now have as a young adult!).
You can be the one to initiate and create an experience you look forward to, and one that brings you joy throughout the holidays.
You Are Not Alone
The holidays can be a joyful time filled with connection and they can also bring about some painful feelings of isolation. You don’t have to handle the stress and anxiety of the holidays on your own. You can reach out for support as we begin to enter this final sprint of the year.
Overcome the Complex Feelings of the Holidays in Therapy for Young Adults in Washington, DC and Online in Virginia.
Family dynamics can bring about many complex feelings, not just around the holidays. Our relationships play a crucial role in our mental health. You deserve to have a joyful holiday season, and you can do that with the aid of a therapist or your own support system. It can be difficult to navigate the unique challenges the holidays can bring, but know you don’t have to do this alone, and that you are not alone in the challenges you are facing this holiday season!
Schedule a consultation with us using our contact form.
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Other Services at The Sterling Group
If you’re struggling our therapists have support to offer. We provide couples therapy and dating and relationship therapy for those that are looking to grow in their relationships. If you’re just hoping to work on yourself, we offer therapy for life transitions and support for depression, anxiety, and self-discovery. Additionally, our therapists offer services Online in Virginia or in person at our Washington, DC-based counseling practice to cater to your schedule and make it as easy as possible for you to prioritize your healing. We would love to chat with you today about the ways we can support your growth in all areas .
