The challenges presented this year are numerous and likely have been mentioned more times than we can all count. Let’s face it. It’s been a long year and a rough one for many of us. That said, let’s skip the details on exactly how it was a long rough year and focus on ways to fight the holiday blues to make this holiday season our best one yet, shall we?
Let’s get this out of the way up front. There is nothing earth-shattering or ground-breaking in today’s list. Nothing. In fact, at some point or another, you have likely heard it before. Also, it’s important to note that some things on the list may not work for your family for a variety of reasons. That’s okay. Choose what will. Yes, we’re all busy. Yes, we’re short on cash. Yes, we’re exhausted. However, battling the blues is going to take some intention. Whether it’s choosing some items from this list or making your own, be intentional with your holiday season. What you’ll find below is a wealth of ideas on…
How a single mom (or anyone) can fight the holiday blues:
1.) Pursue a new hobby.
Take an online dance or singing class. Start scrapbooking the kids’ old photos. Create a “dream destination” book with pictures, drawings, and articles of each state, country, city, or continent you’d love to visit and what you’d do if you could go. Learn to knit or sew. The point is to keep your mind occupied.
2.) Journal.
Take the time to journal your feelings, thoughts, and emotions. Yep, the good, bad, and ugly. Many people use their journal as a prayer journal to God, where they write their prayers. Others use their journal to chart their days and the goings-on of simply living. Journals can be quite therapeutic in healing and can also be fun to go back and read months and years later as you realize all the ways God continues to answer prayers.
3.) Create a small gathering with friends (Zoom or in-person).
Be intentional about getting together with others. Isolation is dangerous and can greatly enhance the holiday blues, so fight against the desire to do it. Think through ways to host a small gathering, such as what food you’ll eat, what you’ll do when they arrive, what icebreakers you may be able to play. There are many, many, many creative ideas online for both in-person and virtual holiday gatherings. This is the time of year to celebrate the friends and family the Lord has given you.
4.) Attend a support group.
If you’ve followed The Life of a Single Mom for any length of time, you already know that we’re huge on support groups. In fact, it’s the whole reason we exist! The whole “no single mom walks alone” thing! Many single mom support groups offer both in-person and virtual options for ease, convenience, and safety. The holidays can often also bring holiday parties and fun Zoom game nights, so take some time to look up what may be available in your area. Can’t find one? Consider starting your own.
Did you know The Life of a Single Mom has been able to launch and/or improve over 1,500 single mom support groups across the nation over the past decade? What does that mean for you? It means that you likely have a single mom support group in your area where you can find a community of women to do life with! To find a group near you, click HERE. Simply plug in your zip code, and get connected.
Can’t find one in your area? Maybe you should consider starting your own. We are here to help! Call our office today or email us at info@thelifeofasinglemom.com. Additionally, you can click HERE for tips to starting your own group.
5.) Attend counseling.
Don’t put it off. Many people recognize they probably “should go to counseling” but often avoid it for months or even years. Sometimes, in fact, oftentimes, there can be great healing derived from talk to a trusted, licensed counselor. Maybe this truly is the season to take control of your mental health.
6.) Volunteer.
Serve someone else. There are hundreds of things you can do in your community or from home. We were created to serve others. Servanthood is the best way to remove focus from ourselves and our own problems and to refocus on the challenges that others face. Serving someone else can help us feel valued and respected, but also meet a need for someone else. This is a great way to get the kids involved in serving the community, too! Ideas are endless but can include: writing cards/letters to military serving abroad, baking cookies for emergency personnel, and so much more!
There’s so much value in serving. Whether you are serving at your local single mom support group, a local organization, or you are just serving other moms that you know, you are making in impact not just for them, but for you as well. In one of our most popular eBooks, 25 Ways to Serve, we detail some creative ideas on serving. Check it out and make sure you join our volunteer database by clicking HERE.
7.) Create a gratitude jar.
You are blessed. We all are. What do you have in your life that you’ve likely taken for granted? A job? A car? Good friends? Church family? Health? Great siblings? Children? A home? All of us are faced with choices daily to be grateful for the many blessings bestowed upon us or to complain about what we don’t have. A gratitude jar can be an intentional way for you and the children to focus daily on one thing to be grateful for each day (or week). Therapist Aid offers some tips and tricks on getting your gratitude jars setup. Check it out HERE.
8.) Have a dance party or sing karaoke with the kids.
Sure, it can feel silly at first, especially if this isn’t the norm in your family, but singing and dancing create are really great cardio exercise, which releases endorphins that can increase your overall mood. Plus, it can create some amazing and hilarious memories for your children.
9.) Enroll in an online class.
Whether it’s a class for higher education or simply a life skills course, having a way to engage your mind in active thought and learning will assist in redirecting your thoughts to a healthy place. (Hint: We highly recommend checking out a free 7-day trial at Single Mom University!
Are you a single mom or know a single mom who needs help with parenting, finances, health, or spiritual and emotional wellness? SMU offers 100+ online, self-paced courses to help her get back on her feet and encourage her to be the best mom she can be. Get enrolled in Single Mom University today!
10.) Create an at-home spa day.
This can be done with the kiddos or with friends, whatever you prefer. And no, they don’t have to be expensive. All you need are fresh towels, soap, warm water, and pedicure basics – lotion, nail clippers, pumice stone, and polish (if desired). At a local dollar or discount store, you can retrieve all those items at a very low cost. Many items will already be at your home. Play some soft Jazz music and have intentional conversation.
11.) Play games.
We highly recommend avoiding electronic games and opting for old-fashioned board games instead. There are some great ones out there. We recommend trying Taboo™, Apples to Apples™, Telestration™, Pictionary™, Yahtzee™, Clue™, Charades, Sorry™, or CandyLand™. Many of us have great childhood memories encompassing some of those games or try some new ones.
12.) Avoid social media.
The win of social media: it’s a great way to keep up with friends and family. The loss of social media: it’s a great way to keep up with friends and family! What can start as a healthy way to engage in fun chats and share family photos can sometimes quickly and easily transition into the comparison game, where we all end off feeling lousy about ourselves and our families and wish we had “their” life. Sometimes, a social media fast is the most positive and healthy way you can avoid the holiday blues.
13.) Get outside.
Take a walk or jog. Go on a short hike. Sit on the front steps and notice your surroundings. Fill your lungs with fresh air from the great outdoors. Notice the sun or the clouds or the gray sky or the big trees or vast desert. Wherever you live, notice God’s beauty and provision all around you.
14.) Take a drive.
It could be a short drive around town, or it could be a long drive for a day trip. The change of scenery can greatly impact one’s mood. Take the time to truly see the scenery. What are the things that are unique to your area? Mountains you see daily? Desert land with Joshua trees? A large lake or river running through the community? It’s likely what you see daily (and rarely notice) is someone else’s dream.
“God never said that the journey would be easy, but He did say that the arrival would be worthwhile.”
-Max Lucado
Jennifer Maggio is an award-winning author and speaker, whose personal journey through homelessness, abuse, and multiple teen pregnancies is leaving audiences around the globe riveted. At 19, Maggio was pregnant for the fourth time, living in government housing on food stamps and welfare. She shares with great openness her pain, mistakes, and journey to find hope in Christ. She ultimately became an 11-time Circle of Excellence winner in Corporate America. While a vocal advocate for abstinence, and sustaining today’s marriages, Maggio recognizes that single parenthood exists and is passionate about seeing these parents thrive. She left her corporate successes behind to launch a global initiative to see single moms living a life of total freedom from financial failures, parenting woes, and emotional issues. Her passion is contagious and her story has been used to inspire thousands around the globe. For more info, visit her website at jennifermaggio.com.
The Life of a Single Mom is a national, faith-based, nonprofit that exists to see that no single mom walks alone. To date, the organization has worked with hundreds of churches to start a single mom’s support group in cities throughout the U.S. and beyond, as well as having served hundreds of thousands of single mothers with a variety of programs. Offering a large array of books, curriculum, training materials, online instructional videos, podcasts, newsletters, life skills education, and more, TLSM is one of the largest single mom organizations in the U.S. The robust selection of single mom programs focus on empowering single moms to grow spiritually, emotionally, financially, and parentally through Single Mom University, Single Moms Across America, the National TLSM Single Moms Conference, boot camps, and a variety of other programs. For more information, visit www.thelifeofasinglemom.com.
