Dear Reverend, I always look forward to this time of year. I get excited about all the holidays — from Halloween to New Year's Eve — and I love decorating my house and celebrating with friends and family. The way the election turned out has really ruined it for me this time around. I'm disappointed, depressed and, to be honest, really scared about what's going to happen next. How do I get my spirit back? Or should I even try? Not Very Merry (nonbinary, 59) Dear Not Very Merry, The holiday season can be hard for a lot of reasons, election year or not. Given the current state of affairs, many people are in the same gravy boat as you right now — myself included. But we can't let the turkeys get us down. Finding joy in trying times is extremely important. If you're continually angry and sad about politics, it's more than OK to take a break from the news. Being upset all the time can really take a toll on your health, and you can't do any good for anybody if you're not taking care of yourself. That whole "Put your oxygen mask on first" thing isn't just a cliché. At the beginning of the pandemic, the news stressed me out beyond belief, so I decided to stop paying attention for a while. When I woke in the morning, instead of turning on CNN, I put on music and danced around the house. I did that for a solid year. Did it change the world? Maybe not for anybody else, but it really helped get me through. I suggest you do something similar. Focus on the present moment and all the things that make you happy about the holidays. Bake those cookies and watch those movies. Haul out the holly and deck your halls. The world will keep turning, and you can get back to it with renewed purpose in January. It can be difficult, but you should never feel guilty about taking time to celebrate the good stuff in life. Your holiday cheer might be the thing that lifts someone else out of the dumps. And if that doesn't make the world a little bit of a better place, I don't know what does. Good luck and God bless, The Reverend…