With the hectic hustle of the holiday season, a counsellor is recommending to focus on the priorities as people seek contentment.
“Focus on what truly matters to you,” says Marcus Cheung, manager of counselling initiatives with the Calgary Counselling Centre.
The holiday season can bring up a range of emotions and create stress in the middle of a period that is supposed to signal festive cheer and merriment. The counsellor suggests focusing on what truly matters.
“I think that sometimes goes a long way.”
Economic concerns
The joyful season can bring different challenges as people reflect on what the year has been and the reality of their economic situation when it comes to buying the perfect gift, outfit for the holiday party, and preparing the perfect home and meal to entertain family and friends.
“This can be a stressful time for a lot of people,” says Cheung, noting that holiday gifting is common across many cultures. “The holiday season can feel fairly overwhelming for a lot of people.”
The counsellor reminds that joy can come from a lot of other things like “facilitating meaningful connections. Not necessarily perfection, but building connections between people, prioritizing time with your loved ones, and activities that will bring you some happiness.”
Cheung notes that the pressure to make everything perfect produces stress in a lot of people.
“Perfection can get in the way and prevent us from simply enjoying the joy of the connections between people.” He says you can try your best to make everything work but sometimes in December, things don’t go your way.
Can’t afford Christmas
Depression can also be triggered when people face their economic reality knowing that the perfect holiday season is not going to happen because they cannot afford it.
“One thing that brings people sadness is also looking at what they don’t necessarily have, rather than the opposite.”
Cheung reminds people to see the glass as half full.
“Paying attention and shifting your focus on what you have. And trying to practise gratitude. And being thankful for what you have in the moment can sometimes help shift our focus and bring us back to the basics.”
Looking at what one has could include a person’s health, connections with people, and personal time, lists Cheung.
“What is it that I have that I should be really thankful and appreciative for. I think that is important for people to remember.”
Loss and grief
The loss and grief associated with death, the end of a relationship or the loss of employment is another factor that hovers over finding joy in the season of merriment. The counsellor notes that loss and grief do not stop in December.
As people are getting together in December, for those who are struggling with loss and grief, “it can be a struggle,” says Cheung, who recommends reaching out.
“Try to seek out people and talk to somebody so that you get the support that you need.”
Cheung calls on communities to pay attention and look out for friends, family and colleagues who could be struggling due to what has happened in their lives whether it’s in the past year or even in a previous holiday season.
“If you feel like people are alone, they are in isolation, they are struggling, give them a hand. Talk to them. Invite them for conversation.”
The holiday season means different things to different people, and there are people who are struggling, notes the counsellor.
More help is available online or in person via Counselling Alberta and the Calgary Counselling Centre.
In Lloydminster, there is also support available online and in-person.
