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Written by Christine Zellers, MPP and Anneliese Kuemmerle, MS, RD
The holiday season can be filled with joy and celebration, but it can also bring stress and exhaustion. With 2024 drawing to a close, it is a perfect time to think about emotional wellness. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) includes emotional wellness as one of their eight dimensions of wellness. SAMHSA’s definition of wellness uses a holistic approach. Each dimension of wellness creates balance and is equally important to overall wellness. This framework of wellness goes beyond just the absence of disease. The SAMHSA definition includes having a positive purpose in life, being satisfied at work, having joyful relationships, having a healthy body, living in a positive environment, and being happy.
Focusing on emotional wellness can help you enjoy the holidays and step into the new year with a positive mindset. This article will give you some ideas for how to cope effectively with the stressors of everyday life, especially with the busy holiday times drawing to a close! The first step to achieving emotional wellness is realizing that small changes add up over time. A goal to do one small thing consistently is more realistic than trying to do too much at once.
One way to improve your emotional wellness is by allowing yourself the space to listen to your thoughts and feelings in a non-judgmental way. Acknowledge when you are mad or sad about something without dismissing your feelings. It can be helpful to express your feelings to someone you trust. Challenges will arise despite our best efforts and planning. There is opportunity for personal growth in how we respond to these challenges. Part of personal growth is learning when to set a boundary by saying no to events and experiences that have overwhelmed us in the past. Acknowledging your feelings non-judgmentally allows you to evaluate these situations.
Second, we all make mistakes! Grant yourself the grace to accept a mistake. Reflect on how you can grow from your mistake and prevent it from happening again. Admitting a mistake shows integrity, a positive quality! Acknowledging a mistake also allows you to separate an action from your sense of self. Mistakes are things we do, they do not define who we are. This distinction fosters a positive mindset by allowing us to acknowledge the action, develop a plan for preventing future mistakes, and feel more empowered.
Step into the new year with a self-care plan in place to help set the tone for a happy, healthier new year. Self-care is hard to stick to when we are busy, but it is an evidence-based way to support your emotional wellness. As with other routines, the more you practice, the easier it gets. Self-care can take many forms. Making the time for meditation, yoga, or a breathing exercise are examples that can help you manage stress and anxiety. Journaling, scheduling time to enjoy a craft project or hobby, or doing a small project to improve your living space are a few other self-care ideas. Making space in your schedule to prepare and enjoy a nutritious meal in a screen-free environment is another option. Before bed each night, review something positive you did that day. Work on small changes over time to develop a consistent routine that includes space for self-care.
It is all too easy to let emotional wellness take a backseat during the busy holiday season, but it is a key part of wellness. If you are feeling unwell emotionally it is absolutely critical that you seek help. Don’t put this off. You don’t always have to feel this way. Please visit your healthcare provider for help, just as you would if you had a physical injury or illness. For crisis text support in NJ, text 741741. If you or someone you love is having thoughts of suicide, dial 988 for the suicide and crisis lifeline or the 24/7 Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for immediate help.