While we pack up our shorts and store them away, replacing them with thick cable knit sweaters and socks, we do the same with our coping skills. The coping skills that got us through the summer like biking and swimming, we must replace them with ones better suited for the wintery cold.
As the seasons change so should our coping skills because what use to be available to us in the Summer, is no longer readily available in the Winter. For example, our after work runs don’t feel as safe and the porch where we did yoga in the summer is filled with snow. Therefore, as the seasons evolve and come back, so do the seasons of our coping skills. Thats the thing about coping skills - we need a lot because there comes moments where we can’t use the ones we already have and must build on new ones.
Don’t be spooked at the idea of having to find new ones - our coping skills are all around us, we just don’t know it yet. With the Holiday season around us, think about the activities you use to love to do as a child. Some examples listed are: Seeing Christmas Lights, Baking Cookies, Watch a Holiday Movie, Buy Yourself a Holiday Gift, Drink Some Hot Chocolate, Listen to Holiday Music, Donate to a Charity.
These are just a few of many Holiday themed coping skills there are. Some questions to ask yourself when finding the right coping skills for you are:
What will I get out of this?
How am I connected to this activity?
How do I feel after doing this activity?
What does this activity remind me of?
Remember, your summer coping skills like biking and swimming will be back before you know it. So take some time to relish in the present moment of the Holiday.
If you are interested in seeing more holiday focused mental health tips visit @mentalmonarchs on instagram.
All Rights Reserved | Mental Monarchs.
This website is not a substitution for mental health counseling. If you are in an emergency please contact:
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) HelpLine
800-950-NAMI (6264)
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) HelpLine offers information about mental health conditions, helping family members get treatment, and referrals to support groups, psychologists, and psychiatric hospitals. Available Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. EST.