Holiday Stress Management The holiday season brings various amounts of stress to us all. A staggering 89% of adult Americans say that financial burdens, grief, and anticipated family conflict cause stress this time of year. Near half of U.S. adults describe their stress levels between November and January as “moderate” with around 41% saying their stress increases in this time of the year compared to other months. This stress causes 43% of people to enjoy their holiday less with 36% of people feeling like the holidays are a competition. Here are some ways to reduce or manage stress during the holiday season:- Be realistic with yourself and others. Consider making a list of expectations for yourself and others, then evaluate if they are realistic or unrealistic.
- Keep or develop healthy habits. Make sure you are getting balanced sleep, eating well, and making necessary time to rest or recharge.
- Reach out. Despite more regular social gatherings, feelings of loneliness and isolation creep in between the months of October and January. Reach out to trusted loved ones in your life to maintain a sense of community and receive necessary support. Ask for help as needed.
- Make small adjustments. This season can bring about big changes in your day to day lives, so focus on small changes you can make to help yourself adjust. Things like taking a short walk, reading a book, listening to your favorite playlist can help boost your mood in small increments.
- Accept imperfections. Often times we get stuck in the idea of perfection, and when things don’t turn out perfect, they can feel disappointing. Bring awareness to the healthy and natural imperfections of life.
- Be mindful of gratitude. It’s easy to get lost in the meaning of the holidays. In moments of stress, ask yourself “What is going right?” Finding gratitude in moments of stress can shift your mind into recognizing the positive and not dwell on the negative.
Preparing ahead of time is the catalyst for a more positive, less stressful, holiday season. Be mindful of your emotional response to stress, create a plan of action, and take care of your needs. Self-care isn’t selfish. Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week
(11/14/2024 to 11/23/2024) November 14-23 is Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week. As many as 580,000 Americans are homeless on a typical night, 44 million are at risk for being without food, and 1 in 5 children live under the poverty level. Globally the numbers are even more staggering. What can you do to help?- Educate yourself. Many homeless people are wrongfully discriminated against as criminals or miscreants and generally mistreated. National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week also hopes to educate people about the reasons why people find themselves without shelter.
- Advocacy to lawmakers. The celebrations of National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week also help remind lawmakers and politicians to make policies that will eradicate homelessness.
- Donate. The National Coalition for Hunger and Homelessness has resources on how to donate to various organizations to support ending homelessness and hunger.
If you or a loved one is at risk or experiencing homelessness/hunger, utilize community resources available to you. Help is out there! | 
