Holiday seasons can be a blessing and/or a curse. You can go through most of your year and be emotionally stable. As holidays approach, suddenly you find yourself either flying high or so far down into the pit you can’t even see a sliver of light. Today is my mother’s birthday, except she’s no longer on this earth. I allow myself time to reflect, mourn, and remember her lovingly. Then it’s time to pack away those emotions and move on.

How about when your fuse seems to shorten by the second and too often you feel helpless to stem an explosion? It’s always when my emotions are working to get the best of me that everything else also seems to conspire against me and add to the aggravations. This is usually when my favorite cup falls and breaks, the shower springs a leak where there shouldn’t be one, or you take a spill over a tiny toy your kids left in the hallway and now your back is out.

For those of us with what I call “high” emotions, these times can be fraught with red flags everywhere. My suggestion is instead of heroically attempting to shove all your emotions into a box in the back of your mind, take some time and just go with the feelings for a short time. Do a “Fred Flintstone” and find a mailbox and let ‘er rip. (I’ve always wanted to do that.) Shout, pound the floor, or wail. After a few minutes, do some deep breathing exercises. Full breath in until you can’t possibly take in anymore air and equally if not more important, full exhalations until you’re completely empty. Five will help you reign in those emotions and give you back a sense of control and wellbeing.

If you want to go the extra step, write out what you believe to be the root issue(s) that brings your emotions to the surface. Give yourself a break and know that it’s okay to have these emotions. Those of us with “high” emotions are there for the people that have a tough time expressing theirs. You are meant to be someone’s friend. Take care of yourself first so you’re around for those of us that need you.