Boundaries for the Holidays

We are officially in the busy holiday season. While this can often times be filled with laughter, fun, and joy, it can also be a season filled with stress, exhaustion, and running on empty. It can be challenging to balance all that this season entails. From gathers, societal expectations, and end of the year stress one may be wondering what steps can be done to enjoy the season. Let’s work together to implement healthy boundaries to assist with enjoying the holiday season and to refuel our cups compared to running on empty.

There are many steps one can take to assist with creating healthy boundaries for the holiday season. The first step one should take is self reflection. Taking time to reflect back and see what boundaries need to be implemented will assist to ensure the proper boundaries are implemented at the correct time and area. Self-reflection can be done in many different ways. From looking at past holiday season to find common needs to looking at one’s state in the current season to show what the specific need is for this season, taking the time to self-reflect will assist with ensuring that we are creating correct and appropriate boundaries for the season.

Now that we have taken the time to self-reflect on the needs we have for this holiday season, lets look at some boundaries we can put into place for it. Maybe one area you’re struggling with is self-care. There is no question that this is the season of giving. But does the season of giving mean we have to give all that we have? Not at all. We can still give to others while working to give to ourselves through self-care. Partaking in self-care can involve realms in the physical, emotional, social, or spiritual areas. Partaking in self-care will assist to allow us to be better fueled to fully enjoy the holiday season.

Another great boundary that can be set this holiday season is through communication. Communicating is something we do each and everyday but can be one of the hardest boundaries to set. Taking time to fully communicate with others on what our needs are and where our limits are can be a very effective way to set a boundary this holiday season. It is important to remember when communicating that we stay firm in the boundary that we are setting with communication. This will assist with ensuring that it is being set in an appropriate and effective way.

There are many ways that we can work to assert healthy and lasting boundaries. From gaining awareness, to self-care, to communication, there are many tips and tricks that we can use to ensure we are enjoying this season compared to running on empty. I encourage you this holiday season to take the time to ensure your needs are being met so you can fully enjoy this time of year.