#digitaldisconnect

Reclaiming Joy: Navigating the Holiday Season Beyond Social Media Shadows

@ 2023 Rhys Ayr-Cullen

The festive season, bridging the end of one year and the start of another, carries a dual nature. On one hand, it's a time for joy, reflection, and creating meaningful experiences. On the other, it can bring a wave of stress, anxiety, and even despair. This contrast arises from the immense pressure and expectations wrapped up in the idea of “the season to be jolly.” The phenomenon of festive FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) is real, where it’s all too easy to feel like everyone else is enjoying idyllic celebrations with their loved ones, while you’re just trying to get by.

Social media amplifies this sense of FOMO during the festive season. As we browse through perfectly crafted images and posts, it’s natural to feel that our own lives don’t measure up to the joy others seem to be experiencing. This can lead to a mistaken belief that you're alone in feeling anxious, lonely, or despondent, while others are lost in festivities. This constant comparison can trap us in a harmful cycle of sadness and anxiety, leading to even more emotional distress.

However, there's a silver lining - there are steps you can take to counteract festive FOMO and live a fulfilling life that’s true to you.

Plan for Festive Stress: Reflect on past festivities to identify your main stress triggers. Develop proactive strategies to address these. For instance, if you dread certain family questions, prepare brief, confident responses in advance.

Live According to Your Values: Determine what’s truly important to you and engage in activities that reflect these values. Approach the festive season with a clear idea of what you hope to gain from it, whether it's nurturing important relationships or recuperating from a challenging year.

Let Your Own Values Guide You, Not Other's ‘Shoulds’: Participate in events and undertake tasks that resonate with you, rather than those imposed by societal or personal pressures.

Limit Social Media: Identify the aspects of your social media use that lead to unhealthy comparisons and set goals to reduce this usage.

Practice Mindfulness: Use the festive downtime to enhance your ability to live in the present moment, benefiting you throughout the year.

Slow Down and Savour the Moment: Take time to enjoy each moment, finding something in it to appreciate.

Cultivate Gratitude: Regularly practice gratitude to help appreciate your life more and reduce the tendency to compare it to others.

Develop Distress Tolerance: Learn to accept and move through uncomfortable emotions rather than avoiding them.

Embrace the Essence of the Festive Season: Engage in activities that help you feel part of a community and transcend self-focus.

Maintain Personal Health: Prioritise your physical and emotional health through adequate sleep, nutrition, exercise, and relaxation.

In addition, our engagement with social media doesn’t cease during the festive season. We often find ourselves sneaking a peek at our feeds, even amidst family gatherings. Seeing friends and family celebrate in grand, joyous ways can evoke feelings of sadness or stress. This ‘festive FOMO’ especially affects those away from home or working during the festive season, amplifying feelings of isolation.

The digital age can also contribute to the ‘festive blues’ - a state of anxiety or sadness during the Christmas season. As highlighted by UC Davis Health (formally known as The University of California), unrealistic expectations about ourselves and idealised family scenarios often seen on social media are common triggers. Time spent on social media can escalate this stress, affecting our social skills and emotional wellbeing, disconnecting us from real-world interactions.

Social media can be a form of escapism during Christmas, offering a respite from prying questions of relatives. However, this escape should not exacerbate stress.

Whether celebrating alone or with others, it’s vital to prioritise your well-being. Reducing or temporarily ditching social media can help avoid envy and promote genuine connections. This festive season, consider embracing real-world experiences, like a staycation, instead of experiencing it through your phone screen.