The holidays can be rough if you are far away from your loved ones, are battling an illness or injury, are struggling financially or if you are going through a divorce. Even though the holiday season is meant to be a time of peace and joy, you may be feeling anything but peace and joy right now for any number of reasons. Thankfully, there are some things you can do to navigate the divorce process over the next several weeks while avoiding a holiday-related meltdown.

We frequently write about the importance of self-care during the divorce process. If you are not taking time to care for yourself, you will be more likely to be overwhelmed by negative emotions associated with the process and that mindset can dramatically influence both property division matters and child custody disputes. Therefore, it is important to ask yourself what you need to do for yourself this season.

Will you benefit from attending traditional holiday gatherings, or would it benefit you more greatly to decline holiday invitations this year? It is important to answer this question honestly. Because ultimately, you will not do your loved ones or yourself any services if you attend holiday gatherings out of obligation and are miserable the entire time you are in attendance. It is okay to say no. And it is okay to attend gatherings for only as long as you want or need to.

Successfully navigating the holiday season during a divorce can be uniquely challenging. But if you ask yourself what you truly want and need from the season, you will likely take better care of yourself and avoid burning out as a result.

Source: The Huffington Post, “Divorcing During the Holidays,” Sheila Blagg, Dec. 6, 2014