Prioritizing Self-Care During the Holiday Season

By Community Service Board of Middle Georgia (CSBMG), November 2025

The holiday season can bring a wide range of emotions—joy, excitement, stress, exhaustion, or even grief. For many individuals and families, this time of year also includes additional responsibilities at work, at home, and in the community. These pressures make it especially important to pause, reflect, and prioritize personal well-being.

Self-care does not have to be elaborate to be effective. Small, intentional practices—such as taking a few deep breaths between tasks, stepping outside for fresh air, or beginning and ending your day with a moment of quiet—can significantly reduce stress and support emotional balance. Setting gentle boundaries, saying no when necessary, and seeking support from trusted individuals are also meaningful ways to protect your mental and emotional energy.

It is important to remember that everyone experiences the holiday season differently. There is no single “right” way to feel or to navigate this time of year. By giving yourself permission to rest, recharge, and honor your own needs, you strengthen the resilience required to show up fully for your loved ones, your responsibilities, and yourself.

Taking care of your well-being is not only valuable—it is essential.

Additional Resources for Holiday Wellness

To learn more about managing stress and prioritizing mental health during the holiday season, consider reviewing the following resources:

• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): Holiday Toolkit
• National Institutes of Health (NIH): Holiday Resilience Guide
• National Council on Aging (NCOA): Mental Health and the Holidays
• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP): Suicide Loss and the Holidays

References

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. (n.d.). Suicide loss and the holidays. https://afsp.org
National Council on Aging. (n.d.). Mental health and the holidays. https://ncoa.org
National Institutes of Health. (n.d.). Holiday resilience guide. https://nih.gov
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (n.d.). Holiday toolkit. https://samhsa.gov