For many, the holiday season is a time to gather with family and friends to enjoy one another’s company before the start of the new year. It’s a time to share in merriment and togetherness as the weather gets colder and the days get shorter. This isn’t always the case, though, as for others, the holidays are a lonely time. Whether this is because an individual lives far away from those they care about, or they experience emotional isolation from those they’re with, the holiday season can be difficult.
Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and if you’re already struggling to find joy in the holiday, here are a few coping strategies you can follow.
Accept Your Feelings
No matter what has caused you to feel lonely during the Thanksgiving holiday, acknowledge the way you feel and know that it’s valid. It’s often a person’s first instinct to push away negative emotions, but if you’re feeling lonely, it’s important to accept that emotion. It’s unpleasant, but it’s affecting you for a reason. To make sense of your feelings, it might be worth journaling or exploring your emotions further.
Reach Out
If you’re far away from your loved ones during the Thanksgiving season, it’s important to remember that you aren’t completely alone. Thanks to modern technology, there are ways to connect with others even when you’re not physically nearby. Call a loved one, reach out to a friend via text, or have a Zoom meeting with far-away family members. These small efforts you make to connect with those you care about can go a long way.
Practice Self-Care
Dedicate time to taking care of yourself, especially if you’re feeling lonely during the Thanksgiving holiday. Engage in healthy activities to help get you through a time in which you expect to struggle. Get exercise, make sure you have plenty of sleep, relax with a good book, have a spa day for yourself, or work on learning a new skill. How you celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday is up to you, so even if you can’t be with those who matter most to you, you can still carve out a rewarding holiday for yourself.
Take Part in a Community Activity
Volunteering your time to support a cause that matters to you may be an excellent way to feel less lonely during the Thanksgiving holiday. It feels good to help others and when we do things that make us feel good inside, we tend to worry a little less about the circumstances we wish we could change. Instead, we may be reminded of all the things we are truly grateful to have in our lives. So if you have time and you’d like to dedicate it to doing something that means a lot to you, try volunteering to help others in your community however you’d like. This way, you’re not only helping others, but you may also be developing meaningful connections.
Feeling lonely during the holidays can be a difficult emotion to deal with, but it’s important to realize that you are not alone. Do what you can to foster happy emotions during these difficult times and remember to care for yourself above all else.
