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I have one hard-and-fast rule: No listening to holiday music until December. Don’t get me wrong — I love the holiday season, but I do believe you can have too much of a good thing.
Where your work meets your life.
You Don’t Need to Be Cheerful Just Because It’s the Holidays
Not everything is “merry and bright.” That’s okay.
December 14, 2020
Jeffrey Coolidge/ Getty Images
Summary.
December is usually a time for coming together — with your families, coworkers, and friends. But this winter, many of us won’t be able to experience those moments. The question is: Should we lean into the negative emotions we may be feeling or try to suppress them?
- Organizational psychologist Dr. Laura Gallaher says suppressing our negative emotions is not the way to go. Doing so can lead to “toxic positivity,” which is harmful to our mental and physical health, and our relationships with others.
- When a friend or coworker tells you they’re struggling, she suggests truly listening to their troubles and empathizing with them. If you’re feeling down, she suggests finding someone that you can be vulnerable with.
- Taking this approach to negative emotions can help you build real connections with those around you, which is really what the holidays are all about.