Suzanne finding her Jolly Factor with her skis in Garibaldi Provincial Park.
In case you haven’t noticed, my last name is Jolly (insert your Jolly jokes here).
Having grown up with the moniker, I understand that it is my duty, particularly around this time of year, to be joyful and spread the jolliness around. The Jolly Factor (as I like to call it) can actually be pretty challenging this time of year, however. The stress of meeting expectations, travelling for holiday gatherings, navigating family dynamics, and stretching our finances to fit within our finances, leaves the Jolly Factor out of what is supposed to be the happiest time of the year.
While I will do my best to spread my jolliness, it is up to you to conduct your own personal interventions to protect your mental health and happiness for the holidays. Changing behaviours is never easy, but it is possible.
In order to help you with the holidays, I hope you’ll read some tips on coping with holiday stress and try out the Jolly Holiday Test (by no means scientific, but perhaps it will make you more jolly):
- What is your main goal in this year’s holiday celebrations?
- What are some circumstances or habits that have made it challenging to meet your holiday goal?
- What do you have control over, that would allow you to minimize those circumstances or create healthier habits?
- What is one present you can give yourself this year for the holidays?
- Can you prioritize some of your own restful or adventure time to dedicate to doing what you love, and say no to something else? If so, how will you do this?
- Who are your allies in having a Jolly Holiday? Who can you tell about your goal and your plans to help you in meeting your expectations?
- When do you need to start working on changing or planning these? (Answer: it’s likely now).
Here’s wishing you and your loved ones the brightest stars, meaningful memories, and the ability to meet your goals for a healthy, happy holiday.
Happy Jolly Holidays!
Suzanne
Calling all team captains for the 
The UBC Travelling Health Fair is a great event designed to bring certified health clinicians directly to your building. The clinicians’ team offers a series of individualized health assessments and consultations, including such topics as anxiety screenings, spinal health assessments, naturopathic assessment and nutritional consultation. The 2012 Travelling Health Fair will run for two weeks (Jan. 30 – Feb. 10, 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday to Friday), with our clinicians visiting a different UBC department/unit every day.
Usually I try to highlight a locally grown food for the Food of the Month column. However, there are many of us (myself included) who aren’t able to limit their diets to locally available foods, so this month I am breaking from tradition to acknowledge a healthy fruit (albeit not growing locally) which is readily available this time of year: the mandarin orange. Available at grocers’ around town in small boxes, these little orange bundles of vitamin C make it easy to quickly boost our fruit intake. They are great for quick snacking – you don’t even have to find a place to wash them!
