3 Easy Steps to Eliminate Holiday Stress

By Lori Hanson

Are you starting to get sucked in? Feeling the pressure of OMG it’s the holidays and I have so much to do I can’t see straight? Are you ready to scream “Calgon, take me away!”?

Before you let stress get the best of you, remember you are in control. Seriously, you are in control. You have the ability to control the level of calm that shines on or chaos that clouds your holiday season. Wouldn’t it be nice to get through the holidays and feel great, knowing you enjoyed every minute of it? To feel rested vs. stressed and worn out? What if the holidays energized you? It is possible.

Here’s three easy steps to eliminate holiday stress:

1. Start each day with the attitude that you are going to enjoy this day and live life to the fullest. The attitude you have when your feet hit the floor have a big impact on how the day will roll. So adjust yours and make it positive.

2. Exercise the power of setting boundaries and saying NO! It can be done. Even if you’ve never been strong enough to say it before, you can start now. If you’re tired of going to cousin Eddie’s on New Year’s Eve, because it always reminds you of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, tell them you aren’t coming this year. Put your foot down and keep it there. You don’t have to fold to the pressure of the guilt trip. (Trip tickets are cheap and often free this time of year.)

3. Plan fun things with friends and family. Schedule time to watch The Grinch Who Stole Christmas and sing along with Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer. Watch the classics like White Christmas or marvel at the repetitiveness of the Christmas movie themes and stories on Hallmark and Lifetime (there are lots of good movies to watch on these channels). Schedule time to have fun and when you do, be in that moment, not multi-tasking in the kitchen baking cookies or thinking about everything you have to do when the play time is over. Just totally enjoy time to laugh and have fun.

Just by implementing one or two of these steps you’ll find there is a different feeling to the holidays. It doesn’t have to be all stress, it can include surprises and some sugar plums dancing too.

Merry Christmas Planning to you and yours.

©2012