Three strategies for navigating the holidays as a highly sensitive person

With the holiday season upon us, you’re probably experiencing a wide range of emotions, some more pleasant than others.  

Holidays are an overwhelming time for many HSPs, especially this year, as the rise of COVID cases and Omicron variant heighten everybody’s stress levels.   In this blog post, you’ll learn 3 strategies to help you navigate the holidays as a highly sensitive person. 

Feel your feelings & practice self-validation

Whether you’re celebrating the holidays alone or with family and friends, pause periodically to check in with yourself and see how you’re feeling.  Once you identify how you feel, validate to yourself that your emotions are OK, that it makes sense that you’re feeling this way.  We often have preconceived ideas of how we “should” feel, and then judge ourselves if we are experiencing something different.  Simply giving yourself the validation that your feelings are perfectly OK is incredibly soothing and comforting. 

Honor your sensitivity and take care of yourself accordingly

One of the biggest mistakes that HSPs make is trying to imitate the lifestyle of people who aren’t sensitive.  Holiday celebrations that non-sensitives enjoy might feel overstimulating and draining for you.  This doesn’t mean that anything is wrong with you, just that your nervous system processes information differently.  Getting enough rest and alone time is a crucial part of taking care of yourself as an HSP.  This might mean turning down an invitation to a gathering or leaving an event early.  The key is to  listen to yourself and to your body and to honor what feels right for you. 

Write a list of coping strategies you can use during difficult moments

Perhaps a family member said something that triggered an old wound, or maybe you find yourself in a bout of intense loneliness or sadness.  When you’re highly sensitive, these distressing emotions can feel excruciating and unbearable.  In these painful moments of emotional activation, it’s hard to know how to take care of yourself.  Taking time to identify the tools that help you feel better when you’re in a calm state of mind is therefore very valuable. Journaling, deep breathing exercises, meditation, and talking to a trusted friend are just a few examples of coping strategies that can support you.