Tips on Enjoying the Holidays as an HSP

It’s that time of year again – sleigh bells ring, are you listening?

Where you tend to push yourself beyond your already very packed day timer.

Trying to make this month more meaningful simply because there’s a consistent message to do so – it’s everywhere you look.

Cultural expectations are everywhere, from Secret Santa to gift buying for people you barely speak to throughout the year.

But if you don’t (or can’t), guilt , judgement, and depression tend to creep in.

You begin to look at your year(s) past and focus on the things you were less happy about. Those things that set off a chain of events that brought you to Now.

Everybody Else

Putting more attention on how others will perceive you if you don’t participate in all the expectations, takes you away from YOUR way of living this time of year.

A lot of times, the extra stress you put on yourself during the holidays is caused by the effort of putting a certain appearance out there for others to see.

Ignoring YOUR inner self for an external appearance takes a lot of energy!

Needing Calm

You can burn out rather quickly.

Avoid buying into the idea that this time of year must be fancy and filled with trips to the mall.

Though you may like to be surrounded by families shopping for gifts, make sure you know how long you can be there without feeling drained from the added energies around you.

There’s a tendency for HSP’s to pick up other’s energies whether you’re paying attention to it or not so, be mindful.

At this time of year, malls are filled with a mixture of joy and anxiety – trying to buy that last toy on the shelf.

Make It Meaningful

Though this term “meaningful” may mean many different thing to many different people, see what this means to you.

Spending a little more time with that cousin who you don’t get to see very often, may be meaningful enough.

Or, allotting a few hours to volunteer may be what you’d like to do.

Connect with others who may need you a little more – but don’t promise more than you can deliver.

Let this be meaningful for you too. Give yourself a little extra attention coming home from work or from spending your day at a job.

Be Conscious

Know that this time of year is commercialization on High Fructose Corn Syrup (forget Sugar!).

If you want to buy, buy. But don’t be bullied into spending your money.

If something catches your eye and you think your sister may really benefit from having it – and you can afford it – go for it.

But if not, don’t worry about it!

Being conscious with your decisions means you can go back home knowing exactly where you’ve been and the decisions you’ve made, without the remorse.

Honour Your Feelings

Fighting the winter blues is something you’re prepared to do because you’ve done it, somewhat unsuccessfully at times, throughout the years.

But what if I told you that letting these blues be can be much more effective?

You know some feelings from your past are inevitable to come up. Instead of pushing them down and ignoring them, see what you can learn from them.

“Why does this come up EVERY YEAR?”

“What am I meant to learn from it?”

“I miss my mom SO much. How can I honour her memory?”

If you want to weep, weep. Think about it, smile toward it, and move on.

Being stuck will not benefit you at all. But DO feel your feelings.

And give your body a gift by taking some extra down time.

Eat well, get your sleep, and enjoy yourself your HSP way.