Holiday Survival Tips from the Palouse Center for Conflict Management

by Becker J. Gutsch, from the December 2006 Newsletter

The Holidays are upon us. Sugar plum fairies, glistening moonlit snow and family gatherings bring anticipation of magic, peace and harmony on the Palouse. On the surface, the scene seems reasonable with the close of the semester and departure of thousands college students. Life seems to slow down.

In reality, rural communities are as susceptible to stress and depression as high-paced urban regions. Personal losses such as death of loved ones or end of a marriage are particularly difficult and counselors report those prone to depression have a more difficult time during the holiday season.

There are ways to boost your health and well-being during the holidays, according to experts. You can thrive, not just survive, by:

Keeping your expectations real
You can't make expectations perfect—people get sick, recipes don't always turn out, finances are limited and family members don't always get along.

Taking care of yourself
Eat a healthy diet. If you eat better, you feel better. You have more energy. You look better and consequently, your self-esteem is enhanced.
Exercise regularly. Aerobic exercise of any kind has the power to calm jangled nerves and improve bad moods. Many experts cite exercise’s ability to trigger the release of endorphins, potent brain chemicals that relieve pain and stimulate relaxation.

Taking control of your time and limiting your commitments
You are in charge of the number of commitments you make. You don't have to hold a holiday party at your home and you don't have to attend every event just because you received an invitation.

Embracing your family and friends
Spend time with people you love. Don't spend the holidays trying to change people or redress grievances from past years. Share memories and laughter.

Traditions change as family structures change; make sure you establish new traditions with these changes.

There is no ideal way to have a perfect holiday. Practicing these brief points and a little common sense will go a long way in reducing holiday stress and depression.

Becker J. Gutsch is mediator, facilitator, public information officer and founding board member of the Palouse Center for Conflict Management, Inc.

Copyright: Copyright on articles and recipes are jointly held by the Moscow Food Co-op and the respective authors, except were otherwise noted.

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