Helping our community during this holiday season is important. During this time of the pandemic, our community needs us to help reduce the transmission of COVID infection by practicing social distancing and mask wearing. This is important because practicing these actions shows others in our community that you care about their health and well-being.
You may be feeling frustrated with government mandates, loss of income, closures of community resources, school closures, and working from home. However, at this holiday season, I encourage you to focus on helping others in the community who may be struggling more than you. Volunteer your time on Zoom or on the phone to talk with those who may need to find ways to connect with others. Consider donations of money or resources to assist neighbors and community members who may need extra help during the holidays.
Talk with your family about some of the following strategies to help reduce feelings of frustration at home during the holidays.
IDEAS FOR CREATING A JOYOUS HOLIDAY
- Holiday Season – Gift Giving Ideas
- Find creative ways to enjoy the holiday season with more personable gifts.
- Make it a game with your family to see who is the most creative!
- Find ways to make others feel special and important in your life.
- Write a heartfelt letter expressing your feelings towards a loved-one or friend.
- Give the gift of your attention to each other instead of monetary gifts.
- This can be more meaningful to those you love most in your life.
- Find creative ways to enjoy the holiday season with more personable gifts.
- Handling Financial Challenges
- Many people are experiencing financial challenges due to many loans, mortgages, and leases they may have attained.
- Identify ways you can change this “borrowing” mindset by focusing on ways to live within your financial means.
- Re-evaluate your relationship with money – what do you purchase and why?
- Try to gain insights into when you spend your money.
- Have conversations about alternative ways to budget & spend money.
- Talk with a finance expert to help you gain new skills and strategies for managing your money.
- Gaining greater control of your finances can help relieve stress and lead to a higher level of enjoyment over the holidays.
- Many people are experiencing financial challenges due to many loans, mortgages, and leases they may have attained.
- Develop a Positive Mindset for Work and School Changes
- There have been many challenges for adults and children to adapt to work and school changes due to the pandemic.
- Environments and learning strategies for children attending school have been altered with remote learning, mask-wearing, and hybrid learning.
- Can you help your children identify some positive aspects of these changes?
- Ask if they have learned new computer skills or enjoy spending more time with family at home?
- Work environments have changed for adults which may cause frustration.
- Are there aspects of these changes that have enhanced your life?
- Do you find that you are more productive at work since these changes were initiated?
- Can you identify some areas you have gained more joy since the changes have occurred?
- Environments and learning strategies for children attending school have been altered with remote learning, mask-wearing, and hybrid learning.
- Try to focus on the positive aspects of these challenging situations.
- This will help you and your children gain greater flexibility and resilience by focusing on positivity instead of frustration or resentment.
- Keeping a positive mindset can help you and your family find joy during the difficult challenges of life.
- There have been many challenges for adults and children to adapt to work and school changes due to the pandemic.
Identify aspects in your life that you are grateful. Think about the people and comforts you have within your life as you encourage your family to have an enjoyable and meaningful holiday. Find alternative ways to connect to extended family members and friends without putting anyone at risk for illness due to the pandemic. Focus on keeping everyone healthy, safe, and happy during this holiday. This is a different holiday season than we have had in the past. Please be safe and find ways to focus on the positives as you and your family celebrate your holiday of choice.
From all of us at CAL Sports Academy, we wish you good health and joy this holiday season.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!