5 Simple Ways To Lift Your Spirits This Holiday Season

Learn five simple strategies to lift your spirits during the holidays. Stay grateful and accept your circumstances for a more positive mindset.

NOTE: This post has been updated since it was originally published on December 23, 2022.

Learn ways to lift your spirits, simple ideas to connect, and remember the love of Christmas this holiday season.

Spending time with family during the holidays can be a double-edged sword. For some, it’s a wonderful time to reunite but for others, it can be a stressful time filled with lots of emotion.

Spending time with family is the best part of Christmas for me, but I know that is not the case for everyone.

For some, the holidays feel stressful and depressing. They are a reminder of everything we do not have, and it can be difficult to think positively.

I believe we can change these feelings by shifting our perspective. Simple acts of self-care are the first step in the process.

Through gratitude and acceptance, we can learn to embrace our circumstances, regardless of the challenges we may face.

Mood Lifting Strategies: Lift Your Spirits Every Season

Even though spending time with family is one of my favorite things to do, as a caregiver, I do experience moments of stress and anxiety.

Caring for Doug who is managing Parkinson’s disease is not easy, for both of us, and sometimes we struggle with feeling anxious and concerned about our future.

That said, I have figured out some simple strategies to help lift my spirits and put things into perspective.

They aren’t big, huge, task items, just small, simple reminders that there is a very big world out there, and everyone has their own set of worries and concerns.

5 Simple Strategies To Lift Your Spirits

Here are five simple strategies to use when you are feeling down.

Take a deep breath. Life isn’t perfect and it never will be, but it is helpful to stop, pause, and take a few deep breaths. Breathwork is the very first thing I do when I feel my emotions rising.
Look up. It may sound silly but I believe it really helps. Sometimes we become so absorbed in our small world that it is beneficial to pause and look up.

This simple act is a powerful way to shift our perspective. It allows us to step back and gain a broader, more expansive, view of the world around us.
Stretch. Physical activity boosts endorphins, and a few simple neck rolls, raising arms overhead, twisting, and bending over to stretch your back and hamstrings bring blood flow and energy back into your body.
Write about it. Find a quiet spot and put your emotions on paper. For me, this is one of the most helpful techniques to clear my head.

I make writing in my journal one of the most important activities I do every morning.
Walk in the sunshine. Getting your face in the sun is a wonderful pick-me-up.

Closing your eyes, and allowing the sun to hit your face for a few minutes helps with vitamin D and other hormones. Walking always puts me in a good mood, and it is a quick way to regroup and recharge.

So grab a cup of herbal tea. get outside for a change of scenery, and enjoy a short walk with sunshine on your face and gratitude in your heart.

If you are going through a tough time, feeling down, or just the thought of the upcoming holidays makes you anxious, I encourage you to try these strategies to lift your spirits.

They are simple and easy so they won’t take much time at all.

dog resting on couch with christmas tree in background

The Playful Joy of Childhood

Christmas is the time to bring out all of the pure fun and joy of a child.

As adults, we get so busy working, caring, and providing that we forget how to play like a child. We lose the pure innocent joy children seem to hold in their hearts this time of year.

Have you ever stopped to watch a child play? Like really just sat and watched, for a good 5-10 minutes?

It is one of the most beautiful sights to see – eyes wide open, pure innocence on their faces, and a limitless curiosity.

Adults can quickly gain perspective from watching a child play, lifting our spirits and teaching us to become open, curious, and inquisitive again.

This Christmas season, I highly recommend visiting a park to watch the children play. Perhaps it can inspire us to reconnect with that pure joyful spirit of childhood.

Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmastime.
Laura Ingalls wilder

Holiday Fun Family Traditions To Lift Your Spirits

If your family is anything like mine, you likely have a list of activities and traditions you enjoy doing during the holidays.

Families incorporate these traditions every year. – specific movies to watch, or games to play, all a part of the holiday spirit.

Here are some fun holiday family traditions.

Baking. This is at the top of my list because not only do I love to bake all year long but during the holidays I amp that up to another level!

Baking cookies, pies, and other sweet treats is always a fun way to bring the family together.

Jammies. Buying matching festive pajamas for the entire family is always fun.

Have the heart of a child and don’t be shy, put on the most gaudy festive pj’s you can find!

5 simple way to lift your spirits this holiday season pin with dinner table in the background

Games. Games are always a favorite. From Monopoly and Scrabble to Pictionary and Charades, it is all in good fun. Just remember to keep the hard-core competitiveness at bay, and maintain that Christmas spirit.

Walks. On Christmas morning, consider taking a walk (best if you do it in matching pajamas), with a fresh cup of coffee or hot chocolate.

Movies. There are many wonderful holiday movies to watch. Whether it’s a classic or a contemporary film, watching movies together is a great way to bond with friends and family.

One of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in the living room on Christmas Day. Don’t clean it up too quickly.
Andy Rooney

Finding Peace This Holiday Season

Even the smallest shifts in mindset can make a big difference in how we experience the holiday season.

Let us stay present, breathe, and embrace gratitude, administer a bit of self-care so we can create a season filled with warmth, peace, and joy.

Wishing you and your loved ones a beautiful holiday season.

Caregiver Wellness Planner

A Self-Care Wellness Printable Planner designed specifically for caregivers

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Let’s Connect

I hope you enjoyed this article on lifting your spirits during the holiday season, and you found it helpful.

QUESTION. What are some things you do to lift your spirits when you are feeling down? It doesn’t only have to be during the holiday season either,

Let me know in the comment section below. I’d love to hear from you.