How To Cope With Holiday Stress

Your house is decorated superbly. You have incorporated tips from Pinterest and HGTV to make your house a Christmas masterpiece. Your family will be descending on your home any day now. You’ve purchased everything you need for your guests’ arrival.

The day for which you have been planning is finally here. The doorbell rings, you peek through your peephole to see the familiar faces of family. But right before you open the door, your breathing becomes shallow, you suddenly feel light headed, and your palms are sweaty. You didn’t realize, until this very moment, how stressed your holiday preparations have made you.

Do you find yourself under undue stress during the holidays? How have you managed to cope with your stress in the past? Were your coping techniques successful or do you find that once again you are feeling the pains of holiday stress?

Stress brought on by the holidays is common but it can be managed with a few simple techniques.

Techniques To Manage Holiday Stress

• Be Realistic

If you are the host for holiday events prepare for something to go wrong. Just
        because something isn’t “perfect” doesn’t mean it’s bad. Chances are your guest will not realize

      that something is amiss unless you bring it to their attention.

• Plan Ahead

           Schedule your time wisely so that you don’t overbook yourself. Plan your menus in

           advance so that you don’t overcook yourself. Set a budget so that you don’t overextend

           your finances. Having a plan in place will help to keep you grounded and from feeling

           like you are spinning out of control.

• Learn To Say No

           There is only just one you and you can’t be everything to everybody and everywhere all at

           once. It is perfectly okay to tell people no. There is nothing wrong with setting

           boundaries and sticking to them. In fact, sticking to your boundaries makes you feel

           empowered and balanced which keeps your stress levels to a minimum.

• Get Away

           Sometimes the hustle and bustle of the holiday can drain you emotionally and             physically.  Make sure to take some time away from the planning, partying, shopping, and

           the urge to feel like you must be happy at all times. Take a bubble bath, read a good book,

           take a walk, just do something that will take you away from the constant reverie of the

           holiday. This allows you to relax and regroup.

 

*Info in this blog is strictly my personal and/or professional opinion. Posts and comments are not intended to treat, diagnose or replace any medical advice you may have received. Please contact your doctor or therapist if you feel you need help, and in case of an emergency, dial 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.*

What Did You Learn?

Well, we've made it! We made it through all of the cooking, cleaning, hoopla, Black Friday, Saturday shopping and the emotional, or maybe for some, the ecstatic goodbyes. Now that Thanksgiving is over, we have time to reminiscence.

For many, Holiday gatherings evoke stress, discomfort and anxiety within families and ourselves. For others, it's a time of bliss, merriment and good times. Regardless of the outcome, we can be thankful for experiences and opportunities. Maybe you were able to contain your emotions and words if something negative was said or did. Or maybe you were able to express yourself rather than bottle in emotions. Better yet, like my previous post suggested, maybe you took a break during the chaos or asked someone for help! Whatever the case may be, there was a lesson learned to be thankful for.

As we now prepare for Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or whatever you may celebrate I encourage you to spend some time self reflecting. If you are experiencing hesitancy or stress, you may feel better by seeking out professional help from a counselor. A paper my sister wrote said it best, "family is what you make of it and how much you dedicate to it...the only person you can change is yourself". This is true, and when we change, we often see others around us change. When we are able to learn why things happen, we can deal with them better.

So, if a family experience during Thanksgiving has given you a reason to seek out ways to learn about yourself and grow personally, give thanks!

*Info in this blog is strictly my personal and/or professional opinion. Posts and comments are not intended to treat, diagnose or replace any medical advice you may have received. Please contact your doctor or therapist if you feel you need help, and in case of an emergency, dial 911.*