Holiday Madness – Your Survival Kit
Holiday jingles, blockbuster sales, a wintry crispness, and Santa Claus tales fill the air.
‘Tis the season of Diwali, Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and more!
You’re inspired by the holiday hustle. So, you shop, decorate, and party hop through the bustle.
You’re exhausted, stressed, and excited.
Because there’s so much to see and do, the pressure is on and you’re feeling blue.
Since the checklist is growing your emotions are throwing a fit.
You must find the perfect gift and prepare a delightful meal. Your jaw-dropping style needs to be kept and somehow, you gotta deal.
So, your heart swells and your wallet shrinks. Peace and calm escape with the chimney sweep.
Therefore, family time, expectations, and self imposed stressors can suck the joy out of the season.
Thus, follow these simple tips to create space for you to relax and be merry:
- Notice your thoughts and feelings. Don’t judge them. Be gentle with them.
- Breathe. Focus on the out breath. It releases calming hormones.
- Give yourself permission to feel opposite feelings. You love Aunt Sally, but feel incredibly annoyed when she complains.
- Take breaks. Check in with yourself and notice overwhelm. Pause.
- Delegate. Ask for help setting the table, prepping the food, or wrapping the presents.
- Notice the warmth in your heart. Focus on it with each breath and expand it out through the rest of your body.
- Communicate. Nobody will know what you need unless you tell them. Set clear boundaries.
- Listen to music. It heals the soul, and influences the mood.
- Compromise. Choose your battles and look for win-win solutions.
- Be curious. There’s more than one way to solve a problem. Focus on the end goal and be open to the ideas of others.
Hit the reset button. Don’t allow expectations to dampen your mood. Let go of the small stuff.
Be clear. Focus on what you want. Love, gratitude, and and family time are precious. ‘Tis the season to create memories of a lifetime.
