We hope your holidays are filled with nothing but joy, but if your holiday has any stressful elements, we have good news. You and your child can use this challenge as an opportunity to train your brain to practice being positive. Did you know that if you practice being positive, your brain gets better at it?
Our neurotransmitters are like wire covered in plastic coating, but in our brain that coating is the myelin sheath. The more times a particular neuropathway is used, the thicker the myelin sheath becomes and this , like a well-developed muscle, strengthens your positive mindset.
https://www.lifehack.org/346276/5-tips-from-positive-psychology-help-you-avoid-holiday-stress
So, do you have critical relatives visiting you this season? Is your holiday meal a disaster? Do you feel like you didn’t do all of the magical activities you wanted to do with your kiddos this holiday season? Turn this into your brain bootcamp! Challenge yourself to see how many positives you can find today and in the coming days! It doesn’t mean the negatives don’t exist, it just means that you are practicing wellness in the midst of negativity.
That being said, we know that for many the holiday season is a time of struggle that goes deeper than simply botched meals and the annoying habits of loved ones. For some of us, this is the season in which we feel loss the most deeply or unwanted solitude the most deeply. We acknowledge how difficult and complicated this can be. Please know that help is available should you need it. We all need help sometimes. Many of the public health professionals who contribute to this blog have also accessed treatment or have family members who have. If you need help, our Get Help Now page might be a good starting place:
https://okptacultivate.com/get-help-now/
We wish you joyful holidays and a healthy new year!
