Holidays and your mental health go hand in hand. Around the holidays it can be hard to have the energy to celebrate when you just aren’t feeling yourself. It’s okay to not feel okay all the time. There are many reasons why around the holidays it can be hard. Sometimes it can be hard because of people you have lost that are not with you anymore, they would normally be with you and your family around the holidays and now they aren’t anymore which can make you sad and reminisce. Also around the holidays, people get stressed a lot, especially parents which then gets put on to us kids, but when that happens it can affect everyone and make people feel down and just not good.

Sometimes you just don’t have the energy to communicate with family and you’re not the only one if you understand this feeling. It’s okay to be sad and it’s also okay to be angry around the holidays for people you have lost or even just from being overwhelmed. It happens to all of us and you’re not alone if you are feeling this way. One thing we do a lot as teenagers and adults is take people and things for granted. Around the holidays it is extra important to show love and gratitude to the people who do the most for you. Let people be nice and let yourself be nice in return it will make you feel good but it will make others feel even better.

You never know what anyone is going through so one small act of kindness could change someone’s whole week, month, or even year. Be kind and people will be kind in return. Think about everything you have and how grateful you are for what you have and what you have been given throughout your life. It’s so important around the holidays to show love to other people. It is also extremely important to show love for yourself, it is so good for yourself and your mental health to tell yourself positive affirmations and do things that you like to do, you can do them alone or with others, but that is up to you. Showing love to yourself and gratitude is so important around the holidays.

The last week before the break here at West is probably the longest week ever and it is very stressful and overwhelming. We as students have to make sure our grades are okay before coming back and taking finals. I know a lot of people take tests that can really affect their grades and many other things factor into that. We are always stressing about grades but it is a bit more extreme when it gets closer to the end of the semester. Stress is not a great thing to have around the holidays, especially extra of it. There are many ways to help you feel less stressed, one way is to avoid people who bring you stress, it may seem like an easy fix but a lot of the time those people are always around you. We as humans need to put ourselves first always it can be hard sometimes but at the end of the day the only real person you know is yourself so take time for yourself and relax especially since we will have some time off to de-stress.

There are so many people struggling with their mental health and I think we need to talk about it more so people are more comfortable with sharing their experiences and thoughts. People struggle every day, sometimes it can even be your closest friends. But please if you are reading this and you need help reach out to me, a teacher, a loved one, or anyone you trust. I know it is hard and it is not easy but this world will always be better with you in it, always.  It is so important that you are here and please do not let yourself or anyone take that away from you.