The holiday season is an amazing time to connect with friends and family.
However, while ‘tis the season to be merry, we also know the holidays can bring a lot of stress. Feelings of anxiety, worry, and angst can more strongly affect us during this time of year, as emotions tend to be amplified.
At HealthOne, we want to give you all the tools you need to have a relaxed holiday season.
Through the right techniques it is possible to have a happy and stress-free holidays, while enjoying quality time with friends and family to the fullest.
Here are our 5 favorite tips for combatting stress in the holiday season.
Keep it Simple
Stress related to buying gifts is so prominent around the holidays. Crazy busy malls and running around from store to store can leave you feeling super drained.
In addition, many people start the New Year off with added stress due to debt from going overboard on presents. Ask yourself, how can I give more thoughtful gifts for less money?
Focus on spending quality time doing activities like playing board games, going for a walk, or sitting down to share a meal together.
Remember, nobody really needs any more stuff!
Double Down on Self-Care
Taking good care of yourself becomes even more important during this busy time of year.
For a large percent of the population, socializing can actually be very draining. Not to mention, it exposes you to more viruses leading many people get sick over the holidays.
Take time to spend time to yourself, have a relaxing bath, go for a peaceful walk, hit the gym, and make sure to get 8 hours of sleep.
Lower Self-Expectations
Many people have a ton of traditions over the holidays that can lead to additional stress.
Make a pie for the work party, prepare a game for another get-together, organize a friend’s dinner, buy a present for a gift exchange, take the family to an event, help with a fundraiser, etc. – we can really overextend ourselves!
Remember to ask yourself “what really matters here”? Spending quality time with people you love is always most important to everyone. Some traditions can be skipped from year to year.
Be Gentle on Yourself
Lets be honest, over the holidays there is basically junk food everywhere, and there will most likely be a few times where you will overindulge. That is ok! You don’t need to add stress and guilt to your life by getting upset over a cookie you ate last night.
Do the best you can to choose whole-food options, and forgive yourself when things don’t go exactly as you would have wanted.
Focus on being thankful for the beautiful homemade meals you are sharing with friends and family.
Practice Mindfulness
Many people have challenges communicating with their family, and emotions can be amplified over the holidays. Remember that the only thing we can control is our own behaviour and reactions.
Before going to dinner with your family or friends, take a few deep breaths and remind yourself to be positive, happy, and the best version of yourself.
Be fully present with others, be generous with compliments, listen intently to their stories, and enjoy their company.
You can’t control that Aunt Mary is argumentative and trying to force-feed you pie, but you can choose to put your best self forward and respond graciously.
From the whole team at HealthOne, we wish you an amazing holiday season!
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