Self-compassion is about being kinder and more empathetic to oneself. Many people can do this for others, but it can be difficult to do for themselves. It is easy to engage in self-loathing, shame, and self-inflicted anger; to self-criticize and overthink difficult moments, but, truth be told, we're only human. Establishing self-compassion skills can help us have better self-esteem, stronger personal growth, and a brighter outlook on our lives.

While we may refer to it as the “most wonderful time of the year”, the holidays can bring stress, anxiety, and even dread. According to the National Alliance of Mental Health, 64% of people with an already existing mental illness note that holidays exacerbate their symptoms. There are many reasons why we may find ourselves becoming more anxious: more time spent around family, unmet expectations, fatigue, grief and loss, financial stress, among other things. While there are many wonderful aspects about the holiday season, we must acknowledge the added pressure it brings. If you feel anxious about this year’s holiday season, know you are probably not alone. Here are a few tips:

The holidays often bring situations where more time is spent around family. It can be comforting, festive and wonderful and equally stressful and anxiety-inducing. Tense relationships, family drama, and/or unresolved conflicts can make spending holidays with relatives challenging. These events can be especially difficult if you find yourself struggling to align with your family’s viewpoints and opinions. If you are looking for some peace during this holiday season, grounding exercises can help you stay calm and present. When navigating hectic schedules, family dynamics, or the pressure to plan the perfect meal, there are simple practices to ground us and enable us to enjoy the season more fully. See below for a few ideas:

As the New Year approaches, many begin contemplating resolutions - losing weight, earning more money, or eating healthier are some of the most common ones. Suddenly, it’s February, and life is catching up with you. You've ditched your resolutions, and now you feel like a failure. Research shows that over 80% of New Year’s resolutions fail by mid-February. Rather than setting yourself up for disappointment, here are three reasons why you might be better off skipping resolutions this year.

You may be familiar with the term “holiday blues” - this saying describes feelings of sadness and anxiety that might crop up around the seasonal holidays. The holidays can bring up many different emotions—happiness and cheer—but also anxiety and dread. According to the National Alliance of Mental Health, 64% of people with an already existing mental illness note that holidays exacerbate their symptoms. We may find ourselves feeling more anxious around these times for a variety of different reasons.

Thanksgiving is a time of celebration and gratitude, but for many people, especially for people recovering from an eating disorder, the holidays can be daunting and create real anxiety. Food-centered holidays, like Thanksgiving, can be especially difficult. It is completely understandable that this time of year might bring up feelings of uneasiness, fear, or even sadness. Although these moments might feel especially challenging, you can still celebrate and have a wonderful holiday season, even in recovery.

The new year can be a time full of many emotions.Hope for what is to come; relief that the holiday season is over; sadness and grief as the holidays serve to remind us of those we have lost; joy to have made it another year around the sun. For most of us, we have been taught to think of the new year as a time to set resolutions. While these resolutions can often indicate the change we are looking to make in our lives, most New Year’s resolutions will not make it past mid-January. Why is that? 

Holidays can often be a challenging time for individuals in recovery from eating disorders. Many holidays in the upcoming months revolve around food, which can be triggering for people in all stages of the recovery process