Four Tips for Overcoming Holiday Blues For many, the holidays are a festive time marked by family gatherings and celebrations. But if you’ve experienced a recent loss, significant life change or just tend to get the winter blues, the holiday season can be an emotional struggle. However, the good news is there are ways to cope and even find happiness during this time of year. These four tips can help you get started today. Reach Out to Others Share your feelings with trusted friends, family members or a support group. Support groups, both in-person and online, bring people facing similar challenges together to share their feelings and forge new relationships. The Mayo Clinic offers a wide range of services, including support groups, that can help you cope with holiday depression and grief. Volunteer Your Time Create new traditions that honor the memory of a loved one or simply embrace change. This might involve volunteering at a hospital, nursing home, animal shelter, place of worship or for service organizations, such as the United Way. You can find volunteer opportunities in your area at VolunteerMatch. Set Realistic Expectations The holiday season often comes with high expectations for happiness. It’s ok to adjust expectations to better match your emotional state and to decline invitations to events that you're not up for attending. Practice Self-Care Make sure you’re getting enough rest, eating well and engaging in activities that bring you joy. Exercise, meditation, prayer and deep breathing can help reduce stress. Additionally, consider consulting with a mental health professional. Getting through this festive time of year can be a struggle for those with a bad case of the holiday blues. But with the right support, some willingness to start new traditions and to look out for your health, you can experience peace and joy during the holidays and all year long.

#James Donaldson notes:Welcome to the “next chapter” of my life… being a voice and an advocate for #mentalhealthawarenessandsuicideprevention, especially pertaining to our younger generation of students and student-athletes.Getting men to speak up and reach out for help and assistance is one of my passions. Us men need to not suffer in silence or drown our sorrows in alcohol, hang out at bars and strip joints, or get involved with drug use.Having gone through a recent bout of #depression and #suicidalthoughts myself, I realize now, that I can make a huge difference in the lives of so many by sharing my story, and by sharing various resources I come across as I work in this space.  #http://bit.ly/JamesMentalHealthArticleFind out more about the work I do on my 501c3 non-profit foundationwebsite www.yourgiftoflife.org Order your copy of James Donaldson's latest book,#CelebratingYourGiftofLife: From The Verge of Suicide to a Life of Purpose and Joy

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