The holidays can be a stressful time for many people. There is much to coordinate from who is hosting, to navigating the many homes you may have to visit across family members. You may experience stress around the finances of buying gifts, worry around seeing people you may not like, or concern about that one family member that says a lot of controversial or offensive things. Stress may also arise when seeing your parents especially if you don’t have the best relationship with them. The holidays can be filled with a lot of anxiety, depression, and stress. For those struggling with eating disorders the holidays also bring up a lot of stress around food and eating. The holidays can also serve as a trigger if you struggle with an eating disorder or emotional eating. There may be a lot of fear foods for you, not a lot of support or escape and worry to stick to a meal plan or therapy goals. In a time of the year with a lot of gatherings, seeing people, and body conscious meals here are some strategies for planning ahead this holiday season:

1. Make a cope ahead plan with someone you trust, maybe even your therapist. This can do a few things for you. You’ll have helpful coping skills all in one place, for what you may think will happen and to prepare you for how you will best respond so you don’t fall into old habits.

2. Bring some positive affirmations ahead of time so you can read them to yourself and remind yourself how to be grateful to your body. Giving yourself encouragement can help you love yourself in a body-positive way. 

3. Think healthier, not thinner. Exercise and a balanced diet doesn’t have to be a punishment. It can also be a sign of respect and appreciation for our bodies. Think of all the amazing things your body can do for you, all the places it has taken you, all the experiences it has led you to instead of how much you weigh or how your body is shaped. This will help you think in a more body neutral mindset.

4. Prepare yourself by practicing some deep breathing skills, creating a calming playlist, and identifying distraction activities for those days. These all serve as grounding, mindfulness, and self-soothing skills. Think of things that will help take your mind off of those holiday triggers, activities that use your 5 senses to help you relax, soothe, and calm down, and deep breathing or mindfulness skills to be present and slow your mind down.

5. If you really need to you can separate. Sometimes situations are too overwhelming and taking a break can really help. Maybe you can step outside, or go to the bathroom and splash some cold water on your face. Take a few deep breaths and when you feel ready you can step back into the gathering.

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