As if coping with a divorce is not terrible enough, the approaching holiday season only amplifies the feelings of stress and sadness tenfold. Although it may seem like an insurmountable challenge, if you could manage to survive this time of year, think about how much stronger you could become when it’s all over. Here are some helpful tips to cope with divorce during the holidays.
Make a Schedule
Instead of letting your emotions get the best of you at home or waiting for a friend or family member to give you a call, create an active schedule. Whether it’s shopping, spending time with family and friends, trying something new or something that makes you feel good, comprise a list of everything you want to accomplish.
Start New Traditions
While you feel some of the past traditions should remain, it’s a great idea to create some new rituals with friends and family. If you have children, you could take some time and brainstorm with them about new ideas for celebrating, like volunteering at a soup kitchen to feed the homeless. You should essentially reassure them that the spirit of the holidays still remain. If a new custody order has changed the schedule for your holiday traditions, start new ones. Enjoy the chance to avoid Christmas-day traffic and start celebrating a few days earlier or later.
Set New Holiday Goals
Whether it’s watching every holiday special on TV, making a gift for each family member, or reorganizing the filing cabinets, setting yourself a goal or creating a project can help you focus on something other than the loneliness of the holidays and give you a feeling of accomplishment.
Seek Assistance from Supportive Family and Friends
If you are feeling lonely and depressed, having a healthy support system to rely upon helps tremendously. They are there to listen, offer companionship, and perhaps provide you with loving guidance. If you have family members and friends who have gone through divorce as well, their experiences may relate to your current situation.
Take Care of Yourself
Don’t let overeating and over-partying derail you off the track toward bettering yourself. Getting the proper amount of sleep, diet, and exercise will make you naturally feel great about yourself. Adding walking or other activities to your new holiday traditions can help you through the holidays in multiple ways.
New Year, New Beginning
Even though you have experienced your fair share of New Year festivities, this year will be significant for so many reasons. Take this opportunity to embrace the fact that this is going to be the start of a better life for you and your family. Once you survive this holiday season, imagine what you will be able to do next year.