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The Ultimate Guide to Avoiding Holiday Overwhelm
ABC of Mental Health

Hello! Welcome to another edition of ABC of Mental Health, your partner in the journey to better well-being. Festivals bring light and connection—but also long lists, family expectations, and the pressure to “do it all.” The result? Holiday overwhelm. This week, we explore why the season feels draining—and how to bring back calm amidst the chaos. If you like what you read here, click to share this newsletter via WhatsApp today! 😊
One relevant recommendation:
4 tips for holiday burnout (1 minute watch)
If holiday celebrations leave you feeling drained rather than festive, this video may just be perfect for you! Gretchen Rubin shares four simple tips to help you deal with this. She is the author of many New York Times bestselling books, and hosts the top-ranked, award-winning podcast “Happier with Gretchen Rubin” with her sister Elizabeth Craft.
Two Quotes on Finding your Power:
Actor Shah Rukh Khan, reminds us that even festivals don’t have to be ‘perfect’ to be meaningful:
“Success is not a good teacher; failure makes you humble.”
Adi Da Samraj, American spiritual leader and writer, once shared about the true nature of festivities:
“Without true celebration, discipline is obnoxious.”
Three TherapyShorts from TST
Practical 3-Step Guide on How to Slow Down the Festive Season (Without Missing Out):
Step 1: Choose Your Core Traditions
Write down all your to-dos for the week. Then mark to distinguish between all the Must-dos (essential) and Could-dos (optional) on the calendar. Decide what truly matters to you—maybe it’s the Diwali diya-lighting, your family’s Christmas cake ritual, or breaking fast with your family on Eid. Focus on those few things and let go of the pressure to be everywhere.Step 2: Block Out Rest on Your Calendar
Mark out the unnecessary activities on your calendar. The season is full of social invites and family obligations. Before you say yes to everything, mark a few “no-plan evenings.” You are in the best position to know which ones these are; the ones that you don't want to attend, that don’t add value to your experience. Protecting downtime is just as sacred as the festival itself.
Step 3: Create Small Anchors of Calm
A 5 minute chai break on the balcony, a 20 minute mid-day nap, a quick conversation with a friend, or listening to a playlist before bed. These tiny rituals bring you back to yourself when the world feels loud and helps avoid holiday overwhelm by offering intentional pauses amid the chaos. These interrupt the stress cycle, giving you a chance to recenter yourself and create a sense of control.
A QUICK QUESTION…
When you think of festive overwhelm, what resonates most with you? Vote here!
Last week, we asked you what habit you would like to build consistently, and the responses were… (drumroll please)…

With care and compassion,
The Social Therapist
P.S.: Wishing you a lighter, brighter festive season and a reminder: joy is found in small, imperfect, unhurried moments too.
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