Every holiday season there are those few pivotal moments that we come to wait for — the first time Love Actually airs, the smell before the first snow, candy cane hot chocolate, and the excitement on your mom’s face when she models her new Christmas pyjamas from your dad. And then there are those moments we could sometimes do without — like the December 26th influx of shiny, fresh engagement rings that show up all over Facebook like a big shiny bulb reminding you that you remain diamond-less. While your time to shine with surely arrive when its meant to (and if that’s what you want), it can still be annoying to sit there and scroll through all of the holiday engagements. Here’s how to deal with the newly engaged.
Make a grateful list
Turn the focus back on yourself and all the wonderful things you have in your life (some of which those people might not). Jot them all down on a list and carry them without throughout the holidays. Jealousy can tend to cloud our focus and make us forget all the blessings we ourselves have that might not come in the form of a two-carat diamond. And, regardless of ring size, this is the perfect time of year to be remembering to be grateful for all you have.
Talk it out
The longer you hold onto feelings of jealousy, the bigger the issue with grow in your mind and the heavier that burden will start to feel. By holding your emotions in, whether because of embarrassment or guilt, you’ll suddenly feel 10 times lonelier because you’re single or start assuming you’re less loved by your partner — neither of which are likely true. Talking through these feelings with your surrounding friends and family, and your partner can help alleviate some of these emotions and remind you to be thankful for the loving relationships in your life.
Plan a girl’s night
Whether you realize it or not, sometimes your jealousy is stemming not from the fact that you feel like you might be the lone wedding-less survivor but because you feel like you’re losing your friends at a more rapid pace than you’re ready to accept. Remind yourself (and your friends) how those bonds will never change by planning a girl’s night out to toast the new ring and to celebrate how strong your friendships will always be.
Unfollow them
Honestly, some people are just simply insufferable when that rock finally lands on their finger. Seeing what seems like endless photos of their ring and their celebrations over the holiday season can just escalate your feelings to the point of anger. Save yourself the negative energy and just unfollow them until the season (or their wedding) is over.
Be happy for them
Just because your love life is perhaps not progressing at the pace that you want it to, doesn’t mean that you can’t be happy for those who are on their way down the aisle. Ultimately, even if they are being the literal worst flashing their ring about, doesn’t mean that this isn’t a really exciting time and that we shouldn’t be celebrating love in every capacity.
