Thanksgiving and Christmas are supposed to be joyous, yet we overextend ourselves and sometimes overspend as well. So why do we do it?

"Our joy can get turned into stress when we're dealing with loss," Dr. Jesse Gill told CBN News. "We're trying to make up for things, or replace things that can't be replaced."

Gill, a clinical psychologist, marriage expert and author of Face to Face: Seven Keys to a Secure Marriage, says you may not realize what's motivating you to make the decisions you make during the holidays.

He also says poor choices can be rooted in painful experiences that happened a long time ago, or even because we're afraid of loss that could come in the form of a damaged relationship if we don't perform up to the expectations of others.

One way to respond to those lingering hurts and fears?

"Adopt a mindset of gratitude," Gill said, explaining that it's an important "spiritual discipline." Subscribe for free to Breaking Christian News here

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