S pending the H olidays A lone ?
Boost Your Mood Wi th These Tips Many Americans spend the holidays alone every year, and the pandemic has only made it more difficult for people to see their loved ones, as travel has become more restricted and strenuous.
If you’re one of these people who are spending their first holiday season alone this year, here are a few strategies you can try to make the situation a little easier.
DON’T HOLD YOURSELF TO THE USUAL STANDARDS.
One of the best things about spending the holidays alone is that you can do things your way. You don’t have to worry about meeting everyone else’s standards. Instead, you only have to make yourself happy. Simply telling yourself that you are not going to have the usual holiday environment can slightly help, but redefining what the holiday means to you can remove a huge weight. Trying new things or looking toward the future are great ways to reduce the stress of spending the holidays alone. Keeping up with old traditions may remind you of what you’re missing out on, so it can greatly help to create your own traditions.
TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF.
Just because you’re not seeing people during the holidays does not mean you should forgo your basic needs. Stick to your regular hygiene habits and do not let them get away from you. The same goes for eating and sleeping. Staying clean, well-fed, and well-rested goes a long way toward improving your happiness.
PLAN AHEAD.
If you know in advance that you’re going to be spending the holidays alone, planning ahead can prevent negative feelings. While being spontaneous can sometimes keep things fresh, it could leave you with a feeling of hopelessness about what to do next. There’s no need for your list to be extensive or highly detailed, but even just planning to watch a movie or cook some of your favorite dishes can give you something to look forward to.
As with all mental health advice, what works for some does not work for everyone. Do what you think will work best for you and help you keep your thoughts happy.
B alancing the B ooks Meet Accounts Receivable Specialist Arnissa Galloway!
Instead, fresh out of school, she found a job with an auto finance company. Though she started as a customer service representative, she says, “I got a lot of experience in accounts receivable and accounts payable, and I worked my way up the ranks and became an underwriter.” Looking for a change, Arnissa found her way to The Manely Firm about a year ago. She was drawn to the firm when the application asked what she had done to bring diversity to past workplaces. “I’d never been asked that question before,” she says. “And after I met Ron and Sheila, it was love at first hello! I said, ‘I want to work for people like this.’” She’s now responsible for billing and ensuring payment on client accounts. “What I enjoy most about my job,” Arnissa says, “is building rapport with my clients. I go through some of the toughest parts of a client’s life with them. We get angry, laugh, cry, or sometimes all three on one call.”
When she’s not at work, Arnissa enjoys spending time with her fiance, Dontay, and her 2-year-old daughter, Harmony Love. Her entire family shares a love of basketball — Arnissa attended KSU on a full athletic scholarship — and they spend a lot of time at the State Farm Arena watching the Hawks play. Another passion is cooking, which she indulges with Dontay through their satellite kitchen, Big Eats. “On weekends, we take orders and deliver plates in the community,” she says. “I think cooking is a real bonding experience, and you can literally taste the love in the food!” Asked what she likes best about The Manely Firm, Arnissa says they’re “the best, not only to represent clients but also as an employer. At a lot of jobs,” she continues, “you just feel like a number, but it’s not like that here. When my daughter was in the hospital, Mr. Manely called me every single day. It’s one thing to have an employer, but it’s more like a family here — and that’s rare.”
Accounts Receivable Specialist Arnissa Galloway is originally from Mississippi. After graduating from Kennesaw State University, she planned to return to assist with her family’s business, but her father’s illness changed those plans.
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