5 Ways to Protect Your Mental Health During the Holiday Season
The holiday season is often painted as joyful and magical but for many, it also brings stress, anxiety, family tension, and emotional overwhelm. If this time of year feels heavy for you, you're not alone. In this post, we explore five practical ways to protect your mental health during the holidays, including setting boundaries, managing expectations, creating supportive routines, and preparing for tough moments. These strategies can help you move through the season with more clarity, calm, and compassion for yourself.
How to Deal with Guilt when Setting Boundaries
Many women feel guilty when they set a boundary because it’s confusing to the psyche. Normally, when we do something wrong, we feel guilty about it. This is an appropriate and helpful when it comes to correcting behaviors that goes against our value and intentions.
However, many women report feeling “bad” when they are simply taking care of themselves, facing conflict, or setting healthy limits. (A lot of women I talk to have a much easier time setting boundaries for their kids or for others than they do for themselves.)
Why is that? I think it’s a combination of factors, in particular the social construct of self-sacrifice which is present for women at all times, even when we are unaware of it.