How Do I Survive The Holidays?

"How do I emotionally survive the 'merry' holidays?," consciously or unconsciously you ask your self.

Perhaps you're going through separation, wounds from infidelity, divorce, failure, severe trauma or tension. You fear the fact that you might not enjoy the holidays. And you dread the looks, the questions, the wonder of those around about YOU.

Obviously, you're feeling pain. You feel sad, depressed, and broken. Tears, rage, fear, catastrophic thoughts, hurt feelings are pounding your heart and gut. You're struggling hard to cope with the same points of pain revolving around your being.

How I wish there's an instant pill for relief! But there's none. How do you eat an elephant? Only one answer - one bite at a time. You can only do your best to take one step at a time, one day at a time towards recovery. It's a process. It's helpful that you spend the holidays for deeper self-examination. Pray and reflect. Once you know your self better, it gives you, amazingly enough, some level of control over your pain as it ebbs and flows.

Push your self too into the hope of your future. Better times are coming. That happens only when you give your self challenges to pursue. Have you thought of starting a new business? Running? Writing a a book? Painting or sculpting?  Re-channeling your energies to a huge project? Challenge your self to things that will utilize your gifts and strengths.

There it is. Among others, these, I believe, could help you emotionally survive the holidays.