Merry and Bright?

Holidays are filled with “should’s” and “supposed to’s”.  ‘We should get together with family.’ or ‘We should be happy this time of year.’  For many, the holidays are anything but a happy time and are mired in stress. There is an idea that gatherings and meals need to be “perfect”.  Holiday cards perpetuate this notion and Martha Stewert certainly hasn’t done anything to dissuade us from trying to obtain this ideal.

The change in our schedules as well as our diets can also be stressful as well as seemingly endless holiday parties that we are expected to attend. While there is certainly joy to be found in the season, it might also make sense that stress is pervasive which puts a damper on some of the positive emotions. How can you cope with holiday stress? Here are some quick ideas:

  1. 1.Prioritize–your dinner might not be Pinterest worthy, but is that what is important to you?  Complete the large tasks before settling in on the details that might be less noticeable or important.

  2. 2.Down time–make time to be by yourself. Take a bath, indulge in going out, go on a walk…no matter what you do, know it is ok to go at it alone.

  3. 3.Try to under plan-this time of year is notorious for over-extending yourself. Pick one or two things a day to commit to rather than trying to cram things in for every moment.

  4. 4.Check in–find a friend that you can check in with to keep one another less stressed. Plan a time to talk.

  5. 5.Everything comes to an end–remember, holidays are only temporary. Regardless of your experience, keep in mind that ‘This too, shall pass.’

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