It’s Thanksgiving Week already – where did September go?! The last few months of the year always fly by, and it’s also when we spend the most time with our families. According to AAA, more than 50 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more to visit family this Thanksgiving, and nearly half of us will travel during the end-of-year holidays. Family gatherings often involve a ton of logistics (not to mention cooking), which means many of us will have to deal with extra stress this holiday season. Don’t freak out, though – we’ve got your back. Here are some ways that you can set healthy boundaries this holiday season.

Healthy vs. Unhealthy Boundaries

Sometimes, we think of boundaries as intangible things humans can’t touch or feel. But we couldn’t be farther from the truth. In fact, while you can’t see boundaries, you can definitely see what the results look like when someone has either healthy or unhealthy boundaries.

What do Healthy Boundaries Look Like?

If you have healthy boundaries, you’ll exhibit some distinctive characteristics. For example, one sign of having healthy boundaries during the holiday season is owning your own time. That means ensuring that you not only have enough time to fulfill your responsibilities but also that you have some set aside to actually make yourself happy. It also includes only accepting responsibilities that you’re sure you can handle.

What do Unhealthy Boundaries Look Like?

Just like someone will show signs of healthy boundaries, humans also display when they have unhealthy ones. If you haven’t set proper boundaries, you’ll probably constantly run around to put out metaphorical fires. You won’t prioritize making time for yourself; instead, you’ll be giving most of your time to other people. You also may feel exhausted or burnt out from biting off more than you can chew.

How to Set Healthy Boundaries and Limits This Holliday Season

So how do you end up being the kind of person with healthy boundaries instead of unhealthy ones? It’s not like there’s a roadmap to follow, but there are some things you can do to help set healthy boundaries during the holiday season and beyond. Here are some ways to do it.

What You Can Set Your Boundaries Around and Who You Can Set Them For

Remember that none of us exist in a vacuum. While we’re definitely allowed to set boundaries, there are only certain places we can set them around. Your time, emotional bandwidth, personal space, possessions, sexuality, and philosophy are all valid places to set boundaries. While we’re focusing mostly on friends and family in this post, they’re not the only ones for whom you can set boundaries. You can literally set boundaries for anyone, up to and including complete strangers.

Make Sure Your Boundaries are Clear

This is probably one of the most important ways to ensure your friends and family respect your boundaries this holiday season. After all, they can’t respect your boundaries if they don’t know what they are.

Make sure that you’re clear and specific about your boundaries. Tell your friends and family what you’re happy to do, what you’re willing to do, and what you’re not going to put up with. Not only does this tell them which buttons they shouldn’t push, but it also helps everyone create a more holistic plan for whatever holiday traditions they observe.

Start Setting Boundaries Early and Be Consistent

Everyone appreciates an early heads-up. When you’re establishing boundaries with someone, it’s good to let them know what they are early on. This is particularly true when you’re dealing with specific timelines like the holidays.

Additionally, be proactive if you don’t want to do something for a holiday get-together. Don’t wait until someone crosses a boundary to inform them of it. Tell them first! Along these same lines, stay consistent with your boundaries. If you want to change your boundaries, give everyone a heads-up. Assuming your friends and family want what’s best for you, they’ll agree, then there’s no excuse if they violate them.

Get Rid of Holiday Stress with Help from Relive Everyday

Setting boundaries with your friends and family is one great way to ensure that holiday stress doesn’t overwhelm you. Sometimes, you can set boundaries perfectly and still get overwhelmed. And when that happens, plant extracts may be able to help.

Some research suggests that plant extracts may be an effective way to relieve overwhelming stress and anxiety. That can include the kind of stress that arises when you need to deal with overbearing friends and family during the holidays.

If you start to get frazzled this holiday season, reach for some help from Relive Everyday. We offer a diverse line of products to help you make your holiday season a smashing success. For example, our gummies are a delicious, incognito way to deliver your plant payload. And our oils and capsules provide a no-frills, simple way to take this wonderful molecule. To learn more, check out the full selection of products we carry in our online store