25 Ways to Stay Grounded This Holiday Season: Holiday Stress Relief and Mental Health

The holidays are a stressful time for many people. Whether it's Thanksgiving dinner and navigating family dynamics, entertaining your kids throughout winter break, Christmas expectations and financial struggles, or something else, the holidays can feel overwhelming and chaotic. With so much going on, you might find yourself feeling more overwhelmed and emotionally dysregulated than usual. That’s why prioritizing your mental health and finding effective holiday stress relief strategies is so important.

Grounding techniques can be a simple yet powerful way to reduce stress, refocus your energy, and feel more present amidst the holiday hustle. As a NYC-based therapist, I’ve put together a list of 25 grounding exercises designed to help you tolerate distress and regulate your emotions during the holidays. The first 15 can even be done from the dinner table. These practical exercises can help you to stay centered and reclaim moments of peace, no matter what the holidays throw your way.

25 Grounding Exercises to Help You Manage Stress and Stay Centered

1. Progressive Muscle Relaxation: Tense and release each muscle group, starting from your toes to your face, noticing the sensations.

2. Savor Your Meal: Eat your meal slowly and mindfully, paying attention to the texture, taste, and smell of what you are eating.

3. 5-4-3-2-1 Exercise: Identify five things you see, four you can touch, three you hear, two you smell, and one you taste.

4. Focus on a Single Object: Choose one item, like a pen or plant, and study its details: notice the color, shape, texture, and purpose.

5. Imagine a Peaceful Place: Close your eyes and visualize a place where you feel calm and secure, like a beach or cozy room. Imagine yourself there, and notice the sensations in your body.

6. Feel the Floor: Place your feet flat on the ground and press them firmly. Focus on the sensation of stability.

7. Count Backward: Count backward from 100 by 7s or another number that requires focus.

8. Describe Your Surroundings: Name the objects, colors, and textures in your immediate environment.

9. Practice Deep Breathing: Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth.

10. List Categories: Name as many items as you can in a category, like animals, colors, or favorite foods.

11. Design Your Inner Garden: Create a mental garden filled with your favorite plants, flowers, and trees. Imagine walking through it, watering the plants, and tending to them.

12. Roll Your Shoulders: Circle your shoulders forward and backward a few times, releasing tension and connecting with your body.

13. Trace Your Hand: Spread out your hand and use your opposite finger to trace up and down each finger slowly, focusing on the sensation.

14. Body Scan with Visualization: Mentally scan your body from head to toe while imagining light or warmth moving through each part, relaxing and grounding you as you go.

15. Container Exercise: Imagine a container strong enough to hold the things you want to put away temporarily. Put in it anything that isn't serving you in the present moment.

16. Stretch Your Body: Do simple stretches, like reaching for the sky or touching your toes, to feel present in your body.

17. Take a Cold Shower or Splash Water on Your Face: The sensation of cold water can snap you back to the present moment.

18. Write It Out: Journal your thoughts and feelings without judgment to release them from your mind.

19. Play a Song That Calms You: Focus on the melody, lyrics, or rhythm to connect with the present.

20. Listen to White Noise or Nature Sounds: Pay attention to the sound of waves, rain, or rustling leaves.

21. Hold Ice Cubes: Notice the intense sensation.

22. Light a Candle or Use Aromatherapy: Inhale deeply, noticing how the scent brings you back to the present moment.

23. Wrap Yourself in a Blanket: Notice the texture, weight, and warmth surrounding you.

24. Get Outside: A short walk in nature or even in your neighborhood can help clear your mind and ground you.

25. Drop an Anchor: Notice and narrate your thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations (ex: "I'm feeling anxious. There are butterflies in my stomach"). Come back to your body maybe by feeling your feet on the floor, shrugging your shoulders, or breathing mindfully. Then, consciously reengage in what you're doing.

--

If grounding exercises don’t feel like enough, therapy can be a helpful next step. Sometimes stress, overwhelm, or emotional dysregulation can feel too big to manage alone, and that’s okay. Therapy offers a safe, supportive space to explore what’s going on beneath the surface, develop personalized coping strategies, and work through the challenges you’re facing. Whether you’re struggling with stress, trauma, or simply need extra support, connecting with a therapist can make a meaningful difference. You don’t have to navigate it all on your own—help is available.