Recently I appeared as a guest on a podcast focused on positivity, and one of the questions the host asked me was what advice I would give to someone who is feeling depressed or defeated during the holidays.
Not being a mental health professional, I didn’t feel qualified to provide an authoritative answer. But based on what I’ve seen, read, or experienced on my own, my suggestions would include the following:
- Try—as difficult as it might be—to look for any positives in your life. Focus on the people, pets, things, places, that bring you joy. Reflect on them, and think about how wonderful it is that they are in your life.
- Call someone you trust, a person you can chat with and discuss any topics that might be on your mind. Sometimes just talking things out can bring peace, and sometimes just hearing a friendly voice can bring joy.
- Surround yourself with positive people. I think positivity can be contagious. This doesn’t mean feeling pressured to feel positive—but just being around people who feel inner joy. Maybe just sharing some time with them can help you feel the same.
- Do things that bring you joy. If you like to ice skate, go skating. If you like reading, grab a good book. If you like walking, go for a stroll. Watch a favorite holiday movie. I enjoy riding around the neighborhood to look at all the Christmas lights and decorations.
- Be there for others. Maybe reach out to someone else who’s hurting and do something positive for them. Perhaps volunteer in a soup kitchen. Whatever you can do to bring some good feelings to others is well worth the effort. It really is better to give than to receive.
- Reach out for help. If you are feeling depressed and feel you have no place to turn, contact a mental health profession or hotline to get the care you need. No one needs to fight their battles alone—no matter what time of the year it is.
Best wishes for joyous holidays and a happy and healthy 2026.
“The joy of brightening other lives, bearing each other’s burdens, easing each other’s loads and supplanting empty hearts and lives with generous gifts becomes for us the magic of the holidays.”—W.C. Jones
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