For many of us, the holiday season is a time of happiness, love, and joy.
But for some of us, this time of year is particularly difficult. Whether you’re suffering from a loss, going through a breakup, or simply combating the holiday season stress, if you’re going through a tough time, this time of year isn’t always the most enjoyable.
When things aren’t going well, staying positive during the holidays can sometimes seem impossible—but no matter how tough the moments are, there are ways to make the most of them. Doing so will keep you focused on what’s good in your life, making it easier to make it through the days when you’re not feeling so festive.
Here are some of the best ways to stay positive even when the holidays are hard.
How To Have A Good Holiday During Rough Times
1. Pay attention to the good stuff.
Regardless of how tough things are for you right now, if you really look closely, you can find at least one thing that’s going right in your life.
It might be a small thing — like your ability to still get out of bed in the morning — but size doesn’t matter when it comes to seeking out the good in life.
Related: 5 Ways You Can Find Inspiration In Life (Even On The Bad Days)
There are always good things happening around you, but it’s up to you to open your eyes and look for them. Keep this in mind: you’ll almost always see what you’re looking for.
2. Know that you’re not alone.
Though you might feel as if you’re only one suffering during the holidays, know this: you are not alone. There are many people who aren’t having a picture-perfect holiday this year, who are also going through heartbreak or suffering a loss.
Remembering you are not alone in dealing with the difficult holiday season will help you feel less despondent and afraid.
3. Interact with others.
You might not feel like interacting with others if you’re feeling unhappy or heartbroken, but if you motivate yourself to get up, get out, and be social, you’ll certainly improve your mood.
Even when you don’t feel like interacting, doing so will give you a chance to pick up on the positivity of others and you might actually find yourself having a good time.
Try not to be held back from socializing, because if you get out, you give others a chance to cheer you up.
Related: The Benefits Of Friendship
4. Realize how lucky you are.
Focusing on your good fortune (even when you aren’t feeling so fortunate) can transform the way you see the world and your current situation.One of the quickest ways to put your life in perspective and recognize how fortunate you are is to spend time with others less fortunate than you.
There are often great volunteer opportunities around the holidays — soup kitchens, toy drives, etc. — and taking advantage of these opportunities by donating your time is a great way to give back to your community and brighten your spirits in the process.
5. Try to see the big picture.
Take a step back and try to see the big picture. This year might be tough. Next year might be hard too.But you know what? There will be a holiday season when you will be one of the ones laughing and smiling and spreading holiday cheer.
Stay positive and focus on the good things in your life and you will once again be lifted up by the spirit of the holidays.
Related: 7 Ways To Get Healthy After The Holidays
The Takeaway
If you’re not in the holiday mindset this year, the constant holiday cheer and pressure to be happy can be stressful. However, if you focus your attention on trying to stay positive and do your best to make use of the tips above, it’s possible to make this a holiday season during which you might just find a bit of hope, happiness, and joy.
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Dani DiPirro is the author of Stay Positive: Daily Reminders from Positively Present and the upcoming book, The Positively Present Guide to Life. She is also the founder of PositivelyPresent.com, a site dedicated to helping people live positively in the present moment. To check out Dani’s latest book and learn more about here and her work, check out DaniDiPirro.com.
Photo by Live to Create Photography
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