By Dr. Lise Deguire | Contributor
As we enter the holiday season, a cloud of anxiety looms overhead, fueled by numerous concerns. There’s the immediate worry regarding our own health and that of our loved ones. Will we be able to travel to visit aging parents? Will our adult children manage to return home for Christmas? Additionally, many families are facing economic hardships. How many gifts can we realistically afford this year? Will we even be able to buy a Christmas tree?
I share the same overwhelming feelings as everyone else. For over 35 years, my New Year celebrations have been cherished rituals with three close friends, evolving to include our partners and children. For decades, our group of twelve has welcomed each New Year together. However, this year will be different, and it saddens me deeply.
Nevertheless, 2020 remains what it is, and I’m doing my best to adapt. This holiday season, I have established a new foundation for myself, incorporating fresh daily practices. Every day, I strive to complete five specific activities that help me feel calmer, happier, and more grounded. To help me remember, I use the mnemonic M.E.C.C.A., which signifies “center.”
What does M.E.C.C.A. stand for?
1)Meditate: Begin your day with a short meditation session. Personally, I use the “Headspace” app, which provides a guided meditation lasting ten minutes (you can find it here: https://www.headspace.com/). I must confess, each morning I wake up thinking, “Do I really need to meditate?” It’s often the last thing I want to do. Yet, once I take the time to meditate, I feel significantly better—more centered, relaxed, and invigorated. It truly sets a positive tone for the day.
2)Exercise: I make it a point to exercise daily. Given the pandemic, I avoid the gym, but I can still walk the dog, use my elliptical trainer, or do some weight lifting at home. Just like with meditation, whenever I finish exercising, I invariably think, “Wow, I feel fantastic now.” Keep in mind that the holiday season often leads to overeating and drinking; exercise helps counterbalance that excess.
3)Create: Do you enjoy writing, painting, or crafting? Maybe you explored a creative outlet in school years ago. Engaging in creative activities can serve as a powerful coping mechanism. Creativity allows us to channel our emotions into tangible forms: something beautiful, moving, or therapeutic. To add a special touch to this holiday season, consider crafting personalized gifts. One of my cousins sends out stunning handmade cards each Christmas. Her talent surpasses mine, but I eagerly anticipate her creations every year.
4)Connect: During the holidays, it’s common for people to experience loneliness. Many of us have lost loved ones and feel their absence more acutely during this sentimental time of year. This year, even more people will miss those they care about, as we may all need to limit our gatherings. It’s important to reach out: instead of simply texting, pick up the phone to talk. I know the conversations may not be thrilling; with little happening in our lives, the topic often revolves around COVID-19. Still, take the time to call your friends, relatives, and grandparents.
5)Accomplish: Each day, tackle a task you’ve postponed. We all have those projects we never seem to find the time for. My home was once full of unfinished tasks, but that is changing! The holiday season also brings with it an array of chores. Perhaps this year will mark the moment I finally organize the chaotic bin filled with leftover wrapping paper, dusty ribbons, and mismatched boxes. For years, I’ve promised myself I would sort through it, and I sense this will be the year that I finally do.
While we don’t know how long this unusual time will last, I hope you find ways to make the most of this holiday season, prioritizing self-care and establishing a grounding routine. This New Year, you’ll catch me meditating and exercising (with some hesitation), crafting my blog posts, and reaching out to friends—all while tackling that wrapping paper mess in my garage.
Eventually, we will return to a sense of normalcy. In the meantime, take pleasure in the twinkling lights on your neighbors’ homes. Stay positive and take care. Humanity has overcome numerous challenges before, and we will persevere through this one, too. Happy Holidays!
Editor’s Note: Dr. Lise Deguire is a clinical psychologist with a private practice and the author of Flashback Girl: Lessons on Resilience from a Burn Survivor. For more information, visit www.lisedeguire.com.
ABOUT DR. LISE DEGUIRE:
Dr. Lise Deguire is a clinical psychologist with a private practice. After suffering severe burns in a fire, she spent much of her childhood in the hospital undergoing numerous surgical procedures. Dr. Deguire graduated summa cum laude from Tufts University in 1985 and earned a doctorate in clinical psychology from Hahnemann/Widener University in 1990. She has been practicing solo in Pennington, New Jersey, for the last fourteen years. As the author of her memoir, Flashback Girl: Lessons on Resilience from a Burn Survivor, she has made appearances on television, podcasts, and radio, and has been featured in various publications including Psychology Today, Trenton Times, Grown & Flown.com, and Medium.com. Dr. Deguire also writes a blog focused on psychological resilience and is an accomplished national keynote speaker, amassing over 10,000 social media followers across multiple platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
