The New Holiday Tradition: Put Yourself First

The holiday season can be a stressful time for many. We recently reached out to people to check in and see what is stressing them out regarding the upcoming holidays.

What we found is that the economy and inflation as well as mass layoffs and hiring freezes may be factors contributing to people's anxiety, as more than one-third of the over 1,000 respondents we surveyed shared they are feeling worried about the holidays due to money and finances, especially associated with gifting.

When reflecting on a past holiday season, one of our customers shared:

“I recall one year I felt pretty depressed because I couldn't provide gifts for my family. I have a large family and I was struggling financially at that time, all while attending school that didn't really give us a long break. Everyone else got gifts for me but all I could do was make cards and it made me feel so inadequate.”

We realize this will hit home for many this holiday season, and we want to empower people to prioritize themselves and their mental health—even when the holidays have always been known as a time to gift and uplift others.

“Your mental health should always be number one,” said Dr. Beth Pausic, Director of Behavioral Health at Hims & Hers.

“If you’re not in a good place mentally and taking care of yourself, then you aren’t able to give your 100% or be fully present to the people or things you care most about, no matter how hard you try. There should be absolutely no shame or hesitation about prioritizing yourself at any time of the year, and yes, even during the holidays.” 

If you find yourself worrying about finances and gifting this holiday season, we want to help you normalize having conversations with friends and family about it.

We understand that these kinds of conversations can be anxiety-provoking and feel awkward. It's not easy to allow yourself to be vulnerable and honest when you are in a challenging financial situation, especially given the gift-giving pressure of the holidays.

You are actually taking better care of yourself by sharing these concerns and it's likely that your family and friends will be supportive and appreciate your openness. Keep in mind that others share these financial concerns and may even be relieved you are putting a twist on this holiday tradition.

Here are a few alternative ways to celebrate this season: 

• If you want everyone on the same page as you: tell them you’re so excited to celebrate the holidays, but given the economical climate, you’re enacting a rule this year that means you won’t be spending more than $X on gifts and expect the same in return!  

• If gifts are important to you: presence is the present—rather than extravagant or material gifts, share that this year, you’d prefer affordable experiences like grabbing hot cocoa together and finding a fire to enjoy over good conversation. 

• If you want to scrap gifts altogether: be honest! Tell people it’s a tough time financially, and due to that, you’re not participating in gift-giving this year! If they’re adamant about getting you something, ask them to donate to your nonprofit organization of choice.

Above all else—when having these conversations, don’t be afraid to put yourself first (even if society says otherwise)! 

While money is top-of-mind for many, if you’re feeling stressed about the holidays for any reason—from familial conflicts to grief and beyond—we want everyone to know that prioritizing your mental health doesn’t have to be as involved as a costly visit to a doctor’s office.

There are so many options readily available today that are probably more affordable than most people expect—for example, you can connect with a mental health provider without needing insurance (and without an astronomical price tag) from the comfort of your home, and you can join live, virtual anonymous support group sessions guided by a mental health professional at no cost whatsoever.

In the spirit of prioritizing yourself, we’ll be hosting a holiday mental health campaign on our Instagram throughout December.

Through this campaign, everyone will be encouraged to put their mental health first through unique tips from our amazing licensed healthcare providers (and win fun prizes doing so!). 

Remember, putting yourself first—even during the holidays—will help you be better and feel better. You’ve got this.