Holiday Magic Is Made By Women. And It's Killing Us.

Betsie Van Der Meer via Getty Images Are you carrying the emotional labor of the holiday season? but during the holidays, this work ramps up.” Women already perform the bulk of emotional labor ― the psychological phenomenon of unpaid, often unnoticed labor that goes into keeping everyone around you comfortable and happy. Melody Wilding, a licensed social worker and coach who helps clients overcome challenges like emotional labor, says that a tendency to put too much on our plates and let self-care slip is often par for the course during the holidays. “Putting pressure on yourself to have or create the ‘perfect holiday’ can send your stress skyrocketing, and overcommitment can quickly lead to exhaustion and burnout,” she told HuffPost. “Question the voice of your inner critic that says you’re not good enough.” - Melody Wilding, licensed therapist I’m not one to strive for perfection, but during the holidays it’s so easy to point out those spots where it would be feasible for me to do more.