Think back to the holidays of your childhood. What’s your favorite memory? Do you think about the love surrounding you? Are you wistful for a particular recipe a family member made? Were there fun routines and rituals that took place every year?
Chances are, you look back fondly on the holidays of your youth. So why, pray tell, do the holidays become so stressful in adulthood?
We tend to create a lot of anxiety when the holidays roll around – the food needs to be seasoned perfectly, served on an exact schedule, and presented on an impeccable table setting, to perfectly dressed relatives.
Holidays are times for enjoying one another. Though it’s perfectly understandable to want to create a picture-perfect setting, sometimes perfection comes from imperfect moments. Allowing yourself to loosen the reins might help create some warm, loving memories (instead of stress-filled ones) this year. Create a stress-free holiday season this year with these tips:
Make A Plan
Stress is an unnecessarily addition to holiday experiences. When you feel like you cannot cope with a demand, the thought of the demand (and its consequences) creates a feeling of anxiety. You can reduce this anxiety, however, by planning ahead.
Create a contingency for yourself in your most stressful situations. How will you take care of yourself best if ______________ occurs? For example, “IF Uncle Joe gets obnoxious when he is drunk, THEN I will kindly excuse myself to another room; IF it persists I will THEN choose to end my evening early and go home.”
Make your list here:
o If ________________, then____________________.
o If ________________, then____________________.
o If ________________, then____________________.
Set Small Goals
Ask yourself, “What do I want to get out of this visit, experience, evening or party?” Use your answer to that question to set a goal for yourself.
Ask Yourself, “Is It Worth It?”
Stress causes people to lose focus of the present moment. It also lowers performance, increases risk for illness and injury, and puts a damper on what is supposed to be a fun time.
Look at what is causing you stress. Is it really worth your health and happiness? Chances are, it’s not.
Ask yourself:
· “How important is _________________?
· In the grand scheme of my life, what matters the most, and how will I align my actions with my own priorities and values?
Learn to Say No
Sometimes, the answer to stress reduction can be found in one word: No. You don’t have to do it all!
Learn to politely decline invitations that may cause you stress: “I’m sorry, I would love to attend, but I have a date that night.” It’s okay if that date is with a great book on the couch for the evening at home, or going to coffee with a friend rather than going to a party.
Stay Connected
Having and providing support to one another is especially important during the holidays. Prioritize your relationship with your most valued friends during this time.
Exercise
Research has shown that physical activity reduces stress, increases endorphins (the feel-good hormones in your brain), and will help you feel better about yourself and any extra calories you choose to eat. For an added boost, make exercise a social date with a friend - go out for a walk, jog, bike ride or trip to the gym.
Be Mindful
Select one activity each day and generate the habit of doing it with awareness, purpose and conscious intention. Decide that this holiday season is a time to grow a new awareness inside yourself and make it a habit.
Take The Holiday Smile & Laugh Challenge
Try a new approach this year: The Holiday Smile and Laugh Challenge.
Many people anticipate the worst behaviors of their relatives, visitors, host, and children – Oh, my mother-in-law will be so critical of me! I’m certain Uncle Stan will say something gross. When we look for the worst in others, we typically find it. Their negative traits will be glaring, because we turn that volume button all the way to the top. But what would happen if you were to look for their best traits? Chances are, you’d find those, too, loud and clear.
Take the challenge: At each holiday event, choose something positive to focus on. Count how many smiles you see. Note how many compliments your friends and family pay to each other. Count how many times people laugh. In each holiday gathering, you will be more focused on the smiles and laughter than negativity. You might even have more fun.
Stay connected with others taking the Holiday Smile and Laugh Challenge by posting your observations, joys, and challenges on the True Form Coaching Facebook page!
Chances are, you look back fondly on the holidays of your youth. So why, pray tell, do the holidays become so stressful in adulthood?
We tend to create a lot of anxiety when the holidays roll around – the food needs to be seasoned perfectly, served on an exact schedule, and presented on an impeccable table setting, to perfectly dressed relatives.
Holidays are times for enjoying one another. Though it’s perfectly understandable to want to create a picture-perfect setting, sometimes perfection comes from imperfect moments. Allowing yourself to loosen the reins might help create some warm, loving memories (instead of stress-filled ones) this year. Create a stress-free holiday season this year with these tips:
Make A Plan
Stress is an unnecessarily addition to holiday experiences. When you feel like you cannot cope with a demand, the thought of the demand (and its consequences) creates a feeling of anxiety. You can reduce this anxiety, however, by planning ahead.
Create a contingency for yourself in your most stressful situations. How will you take care of yourself best if ______________ occurs? For example, “IF Uncle Joe gets obnoxious when he is drunk, THEN I will kindly excuse myself to another room; IF it persists I will THEN choose to end my evening early and go home.”
Make your list here:
o If ________________, then____________________.
o If ________________, then____________________.
o If ________________, then____________________.
Set Small Goals
Ask yourself, “What do I want to get out of this visit, experience, evening or party?” Use your answer to that question to set a goal for yourself.
Ask Yourself, “Is It Worth It?”
Stress causes people to lose focus of the present moment. It also lowers performance, increases risk for illness and injury, and puts a damper on what is supposed to be a fun time.
Look at what is causing you stress. Is it really worth your health and happiness? Chances are, it’s not.
Ask yourself:
· “How important is _________________?
· In the grand scheme of my life, what matters the most, and how will I align my actions with my own priorities and values?
Learn to Say No
Sometimes, the answer to stress reduction can be found in one word: No. You don’t have to do it all!
Learn to politely decline invitations that may cause you stress: “I’m sorry, I would love to attend, but I have a date that night.” It’s okay if that date is with a great book on the couch for the evening at home, or going to coffee with a friend rather than going to a party.
Stay Connected
Having and providing support to one another is especially important during the holidays. Prioritize your relationship with your most valued friends during this time.
Exercise
Research has shown that physical activity reduces stress, increases endorphins (the feel-good hormones in your brain), and will help you feel better about yourself and any extra calories you choose to eat. For an added boost, make exercise a social date with a friend - go out for a walk, jog, bike ride or trip to the gym.
Be Mindful
Select one activity each day and generate the habit of doing it with awareness, purpose and conscious intention. Decide that this holiday season is a time to grow a new awareness inside yourself and make it a habit.
Take The Holiday Smile & Laugh Challenge
Try a new approach this year: The Holiday Smile and Laugh Challenge.
Many people anticipate the worst behaviors of their relatives, visitors, host, and children – Oh, my mother-in-law will be so critical of me! I’m certain Uncle Stan will say something gross. When we look for the worst in others, we typically find it. Their negative traits will be glaring, because we turn that volume button all the way to the top. But what would happen if you were to look for their best traits? Chances are, you’d find those, too, loud and clear.
Take the challenge: At each holiday event, choose something positive to focus on. Count how many smiles you see. Note how many compliments your friends and family pay to each other. Count how many times people laugh. In each holiday gathering, you will be more focused on the smiles and laughter than negativity. You might even have more fun.
Stay connected with others taking the Holiday Smile and Laugh Challenge by posting your observations, joys, and challenges on the True Form Coaching Facebook page!
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