Refocusing After Holiday Setbacks: A Compassionate Approach to Progress
The holidays can include a whirlwind of emotions, and if you struggle with anxiety or OCD, they can feel even more overwhelming. With all the heightened stress, busy environments, and disrupted routines, setbacks or challenges with handling anxiety or OCD are bound to happen—and that’s okay.
Setbacks don’t erase progress. They’re part of the process, a normal part of learning and growing. It’s important to take a moment to reflect on what happened, learn from it, and refocus for the days ahead.
Why Setbacks Are Normal
The holidays are packed with potential triggers:
Decisions to make under pressure.
Crowded gatherings that can feel overstimulating.
Eating food prepared by others when you’re not in control.
Managing family expectations that add another layer of stress.
When these challenges pile up, it’s no surprise that anxiety or OCD can feel louder. But here’s the thing: setbacks aren’t failures—they’re learning opportunities. They’re a chance to step back, understand what happened, and use that knowledge to keep moving forward.
Your progress is not erased by one tough moment or even a series of them. Growth doesn’t come from perfection; it comes from showing up, learning, and trying again.
Journal Prompts for Reflection
Take a few minutes to reflect on how you handled anxiety over the holidays. Use these questions to guide your thoughts:
What did I handle well this holiday season?
What felt the most challenging, and why?
What can I do differently next time to feel more confident or prepared?
As you reflect, approach yourself with kindness and curiosity—not criticism. Think of this as gathering information, not judging yourself.
Learning from Challenges
You have a choice in how you view your challenges. You can get upset with yourself for how you handled a situation (or blame others for making it difficult). But let’s be honest—that approach won’t help you move forward.
Instead, let these challenges be fuel for motivation to keep working on yourself. Every difficult moment is a reminder of why you’re working to face your fears and resist anxiety or OCD’s rules.
Maybe you felt overwhelmed at a family gathering and spent most of it ruminating over a comment someone made. Or perhaps your anxiety was so high that you had to leave early or even say no to the gathering altogether.
That’s okay. These moments aren’t failures—it’s just information. Information about where you’re at right now and what you need to continue to work on.
Reflect on them. What can you take away? What can you try differently next time?
Practical Tips for Moving Forward
The holidays don’t define you or your journey. What matters is what you choose to do next.
Stop self-criticism: If you’ve been hard on yourself, make the decision right now to stop. Instead, remind yourself: “I did the best I could with what I thought I could at the time.”
Identify one small action to regain momentum: This could be practicing mindfulness for a few minutes, journaling your thoughts, or setting a boundary with family or friends. Choose one step that feels manageable and take it.
Every action, no matter how small, is a step toward growth and resilience.
Conclusion
The holidays are just one part of your journey—they don’t define it. Setbacks are simply reminders of the work you’re already doing and the progress you’re capable of making.
Be kind to yourself as you reflect, learn, and move forward. You’re not alone, and you don’t have to figure this out on your own.
If you’re ready to take the next step toward navigating anxiety or OCD with more peace and confidence, let’s talk.
Schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation with one of our therapists to explore how we can support you on your journey.