Curb Holiday Loneliness With These Hacks
Holiday loneliness is completely natural and understandable. Here are six ways to beat the feeling.
Unfortunately, they can also cause holiday loneliness.
If you’re experiencing holiday loneliness, remember it’s completely normal. The shorter days and colder weather affects all of us differently, including making us feel lonely at times.
So, how can you stay upbeat during the holidays?
Focus on the basics
Beating holiday loneliness starts with the basics. Focus on your sleep, diet, and exercise to pick yourself up during the holidays. At times, we can neglect our self-care, and it greatly impacts our mood.
Make sure you’re getting enough rest during the holidays. Operating on a lack of sleep increases irritability and sluggishness. Watch your diet and what you’re putting into your body. The healthier the food, the better! Finally, exercise at least three days a week. It doesn’t have to be too intense — a mild jog works just fine!
Stay connected with friends and family
The cold weather can keep us isolated. It’s hard to traverse through a frigid December breeze! To avoid holiday loneliness, be sure you’re reaching out to your friends and loved ones. Give them a video call to catch up or set up a lunch date. Who knows, you may be saving them from holiday loneliness too!
Join a club
One way to stay connected during the holidays is to join a club or group. Finding other like-minded people in your city helps cultivate a sense of belonging and community.
Join a sports club like boxing or jiu-jitsu. Or, if sports aren’t your thing, join an art club! Websites like meetup can help you find people near you.
Read a good book or watch a great show
Reading a book or watching TV are activities frequently done alone. But, you can connect with people even if they’re fictional. Try finding a good series that keeps you engaged.
Whether it’s a book, tv show, or movie, finding a cast of characters you can relate to can reduce feelings of holiday loneliness.
Get a lightbox
Sometimes, holiday loneliness can be caused by the weather. Some people find colder months, shorter days, and overcast skies depressing. One way to fight this is to get a lightbox.
Using Lightboxes and therapy lights provide a little more light during the darker months, giving you a mood boost. These tools are great for people who get a little sad during the colder parts of the year.
Keep a journal and connect with yourself.
Connecting with yourself can help fight off holiday loneliness. So, how do you connect with yourself? Recite some affirmations, and try keeping a journal! Write about your day, your desires, fears, or whatever else comes to mind.
Writing out your thoughts helps you connect with yourself. You’ll understand patterns in your life, ideas, and beliefs. Once you fully connect with yourself, you may not feel lonely anymore.
These are just a few of the ways you can beat holiday loneliness! Stay in touch with your friends and loved ones this holiday season. And if you need to, reach out and talk to a professional.
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