Holiday Glimmers and Uncle Bob
A Message from Susan:
The holidays are a wonderful time of the year but can be filled with stressful moments. According to Harvard Medical School, 62% of us feel heightened stress during the holiday season. One of my clients says she gets through the holidays by looking for small glimmers each day. “These are moments of joy and you have to pay attention or you will miss them.” Thank you for the good advice 😊
What we have for you this week:
1. Find a few glimmers
2. Oh no, it’s Uncle Bob
3. Ask the Psychiatrist
4. Gratitude
Find a Few Glimmers ✨
The holidays arrive each year often carrying a to-do list longer than Santa’s. The season that promises joy and peace sometimes manages to also deliver exhaustion and expectations instead.
If you’re already feeling the tension between wanting to enjoy it all and wanting to hide until January, you’re not alone. There’s invisible pressure to do it all with every event, every gift, every memory Instagram-worthy. But you might find small glimmer moments with a kind gesture or making a pumpkin pie.
Joy shows up in random moments like a good laugh, a family meal, watching a child open a present. The point of the holidays is to feel your own joy and share it with other people.
Oh no, it’s Uncle Bob 🙈
Nearly everyone has someone in their family (or a friend) like Uncle Bob. He has a little too much to drink and takes over the festivities by explaining his views on how social media is destroying humanity. So what are a few researched-based tricks you can use when Uncle Bob holds court?
1. Become a Gray Rock
Psych trick: Boredom is contagious. How-to: Nod once, say “Hmm,” then look away. Studies on emotional contagion show enthusiasm dies when it hits a wall of blah.
2. The Curiosity Flip
Psych trick: Socratic questioning redirects ego. How-to: Hit him with “That’s interesting. What do the experts say about the counter-argument?” Watch him Google in his head. Bonus: You sound smart without starting a fight.
3. Recruit Friends and Family
Psych trick: Diffusion of responsibility. How-to:Whisper to your brother, “Tag, you’re It - Bob’s on mind control again.” Family therapy says shared burdens feel 40% lighter.
4. The Gratitude Grenade
Psych trick: Affective Override. How-to: Mid-sentence, smile and say, “Uncle Bob, I’m just grateful you’re here. Remember when you taught me to whistle?
Gratitude 💛
Gratitude doesn’t have to be grand to be genuine. Sometimes it’s the small gestures that leave the biggest impression. Send someone a quick short text that names exactly what you appreciated. Or make gratitude visible and jot one thing you’re thankful for and place it where you’ll see it. Even better, give people your full attention. In a world of screens, listening without distraction might be the most generous form of thanks you can offer.
Let gratitude move through you. Pay it forward with intention. And don’t forget to celebrate the ordinary things in life like the morning light, your reliable routines, the people who show up again and again. The quiet, everyday things are the real backbone of a grateful life.
Photo by Stephanie Klepacki on Unsplash
Ask the Psychiatrist with Dr. Khan M.D.
Gimmers of Joy: A Psychiatrist’s Perspective
During high-pressure times like the holidays, our nervous system may be primed for tension but the brain is still capable of brief, restorative shifts. Small stimuli, like glimmers of joy, activate calming and reward pathways, interrupting stress chemistry and offering micro-moments of emotional reset.
Positive sensory cues boost dopamine and serotonin, warm interactions increase oxytocin and reduce cortisol, laughter or comfort release endorphins. Together, these shifts help the body move out of heightened reactivity.
Glimmers only require awareness. By intentionally noticing these sensory or relational cues, we train the brain toward regulation, making us feel better in stressful times.
Dr. Afshan Khan, MD., is a practicing psychiatrist for adults, adolescents, and children, focusing on integrative psychology with a holistic approach.
Visit her practice at AustinFamilyPsychiatry.com
Young Living Essential Oils
Let Gratitude Essential Oil Blend wrap you in warmth this season. 💛
It’s a gentle whisper that joy begins with a thankful heart.
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Support the Young Living Foundation
Photo by freestocks on Unsplash
Grab & Go
📚 Referrals + Resources
This amazing website, from Renee Stavros Psy.D, provides holistic resources for psychological well-being.
Our book recommendation this week comes from
Mel Robbins - The Let Them Theory.
It’s a reminder that peace often begins when simply let things (and people) be.
📩 Email: susan@lightworkscounseling.com
Disclaimer: This newsletter is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical or psychotherapy advice. If you are experiencing mental health or medical issues, please contact a professional.