I am aware that this time of year brings up heightened emotions. I usually experience it first-hand as my emotions usually get a little more on edge. I can empathize with those who find it hard to deal with family members this time of year. In addition, many have experienced losses and find the holidays brings up the void of those missed. Emotions are tricky. They can creep up unexpectedly and show up in anxiety, depression, or loss of sleep. We may wonder why all of a sudden we are experiencing those symptoms and not knowing what to do with them. The typical response may be to put a lid on them and rush off to the doctor to get a quick medication fix.
What I have learned is getting a medication can give us some relief, but down the road, the same symptoms may resurface because we never allowed ourselves to get to the root.. A lot of times we aren’t aware of what is the root cause. We may think we had a decent family life, or we haven’t had any major life trauma, but we aren’t always aware of what’s under the surface in the subconscious. Usually, a major life event or even a movie may bring up unresolved feelings that we didn’t know were there. We may need to examine our triggers and trace it back to the feelings we have held onto.
When we allow ourselves to move through with our feelings we can find freedom from depression, anxiety, and hopelessness. Then we can focus on having a joyful heart. It’s a great preventative from having a disease down the road such as cancer, arthritis, heart disease and more.
“A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”- Proverbs 17:22 (ESV)
This can help us physically and emotionally! It can…
- Lowers blood pressure
- Releases muscle tension
- Provides stress relief by decreasing stress hormones
- Boost oxytocin- the feel-good hormone
Practice these tips to get you through the holidays:
- Focus on what you are grateful for
- Create a joyful mindset going into holiday gatherings
- Spend some quiet time alone to recharge
- Let your emotions flow rather than stuffing them with food
- Journal things out with what you’re holding onto
I am wishing that you have a wonderful season as you focus your mindset on things that create more joy for you and your family!