Stress During the Holidays and How it Affects Mothers

Overtime, society has come to expect that the holiday season is a stressful time. If you watch any of the Christmas movies, many of them show chaos and the worries that come along with buying dozens of gifts for everyone, financial stress, holiday dinners gone wrong, and drama between family members. It has become normal. What if society started saying that stress during the holidays is no longer acceptable?

While the holidays are stressful for everyone, the larger crowd of mothers feel the stress even more. There is pressure to put on a show that everyone is holly jolly the whole season wearing matching outfits, shining their pearly white teeth in beautiful Christmas photos, and doing all of the traditions without a hitch.

This leaves mothers feeling exhausted and inadequate if they don’t meet society’s standards. To be honest, it isn’t fair. Mothers make the magic happen for everyone in their family. It’s time for mothers also to experience some of that magic for themselves.

What is Stress?

Stress is your body’s response to change. This change requires action or attention from you. This change can cause physical, emotional, or psychological strain on a person. There are three types of stress: acute, episodic acute, and chronic.

Acute stress is a short-term response where your emotions typically return to normal quickly. Episodic acute is a feeling of moving from one crisis to another, never getting the chance to return to normal in-between episodes. Chronic stress is something that last for a longer period of time such as constant turmoil in a relationship, financially needs, and more

How Does Stress Affect the Body?

The body goes through trauma when it is faced with stress. Some people experience headaches, an upset stomach, high blood pressure, chest pain, and/or problems sleeping. Other people experience weight loss or weight gain, trouble feeling relaxed or satisfied, and other physical symptoms. Stress can lead to other problems in emotions such as depression and/or anxiety.

5 Ways to Cope with Stress During the Holidays for Mothers

It’s clear that stress can be a culprit for many unpleasant symptoms. This is why it is important to learn how to limit the amount of stress during the holidays for mothers.

Set Boundaries

This is likely one of the more challenging things to do, especially for mothers who just want to make everyone happy. You need to set boundaries to keep yourself and your kids from experiencing any unnecessary stress. Whether that be excluding certain family members from celebrating during the holidays or excluding your immediate family from joining toxic environments for the sake of the holidays, you have to set those limits.

This might feel uncomfortable, but it is necessary. Your sanity and mental health is more important than pleasing others. If it is going to cause you stress, it doesn’t belong in your holiday.

Communicate

Talk to people you trust in your family or in your group of friends. Communicate with them about what causes you stress during the holidays. Maybe they can help you figure out a solution to lessen the stress. Sometimes just talking about the stress can be beneficial.

Other ways to communicate and lessen the stress during the holidays include talking to a therapist. A mental health professional like myself can help you process things that are causing you stress and help you learn healthier ways to cope. Reach out to me for your FREE consultation so that you can begin healing and start enjoying the holidays even more.

Take Things off the List

There is nothing like a never ending to-do list to send you over the edge. You are already tired from everyday mom life. Adding endless things to do during the holidays just creates unnecessary stress. If it isn’t something that absolutely has to get done, then take it off the list and breathe a little.

Don’t Overbook Yourself

There are so many holiday parties and gatherings to attend. But you don’t have to accept every invitation. Don’t overbook yourself during the holidays. Instead, take some days to rest and just enjoy the company of your children and loved ones. The most magical memories that come from the holiday season stem from the love that is shown, not the amount of parties and events you attend.

Practice Grace

One of the most important things you can do to cope with stress during the holidays is to practice giving yourself grace. No one is perfect so give yourself permission to stop trying to be. It’s okay if you don’t feel like doing something or you’d rather watch Christmas movies in bed all day instead of going out.

When you fall short of whatever expectation you have of yourself this holiday season, remember to practice grace. This isn’t about how much money you can spend on gifts or how many parties you attend. It’s about joy and gratitude.

Limiting Stress During the Holidays Leaves Room for Joy

Take back control this holiday season and say “no” to holiday stress. It’s time to flip the script and establish a new society that supports less stress during the holidays, especially in mothers. Embrace catching up on rest, spending time with your kids, and recharging yourself instead of participating in the hustle and bustle.

Many mothers experience stress during the holidays because of the way they were raised. They watched their own mothers stress and fuss over each detail. It can take time to process that information and create new roadmaps in your brain to unlearn those unhealthy ways. If you are ready to break from generational practices, I am here to guide you.

As a licensed therapist, my mission is to help you create a space for mental stability in your life. All it takes is a FREE 15-minute consultation to get started. Grab your spot today and bring back the joy in your life.