Lifestyle / Manage Holiday Stress

Manage Holiday Stress

Lifestyle Dec 12, 2014

by Yvonne Sinniah

Combat Holiday Stress With These Tips

Holidays are a beautiful time of year. We can hear joyful music throughout shopping centres, see family members whom we normally don’t get to see, watch reruns of old movies and drive around to see the festive lights in our neighbourhoods. But the holiday season can also cause anxiety and stress for some people.

There's a lot of pressure to get gifts for everyone, get organized to host and entertain family and friends, manage credit card debt and navigate family tensions. There are proactive ways to minimize the negatives and maximize the positives to ensure that you have the most joyful season possible this year.

Manage your expectations

Many times, we have high expectations for ourselves and try to meet them all in a very short timeframe. To minimize credit card debt, write down the names of people that you really want to buy a gift for. Keep your gifts within a budget for each person. With some circles of friends, family and coworkers, you may want to introduce the Kris Kringle game, where everyone buys one gift and then you all have a fun exchange.

Accept that you will spend more this season than others and focus on the joy that you'll bring to loved ones as you make mindful gift purchases this year. Acknowledge that, although there may be some family tensions, they won’t go away during the festivities. If difficult subjects tend to come up in conversation, find ways to redirect toward a positive space. A really great way to ensure lots of fun during gatherings is to organize a family game or activity that focuses everyone’s energy on the fun.

Keep it simple

Have you heard of the KISS principle? "Keep it simple, stupid." There's happiness in the simplest of things. Find ways to maximize those moments during the festive season. Stick to the things that come most naturally to you and bring you and your family joy. Listening to music, baking, making home-made crafts and decorations, calling loved ones to wish them well and having friends over for cocktails are some ideas for keeping things simple and enjoyable.

Cultivate joy from within

Remember, you're the only one who's truly in control of your own happiness. During the holiday season, it's easy to feel a sense of obligation to the point where it can upset you. Stop and take a moment to ask yourself if you really want to go to a specific occasion or make a purchase simply out of obligation. Life is too short for obligation to be the only reason you participate in activities. Check in with yourself on why you do the things you do. holiday is a perfect time to prioritize what you need to spend time on so you feel happiest.

These are some key tips to enjoy the season. However, if you find your anxiety and stress during the holidays too hard to bear, talk to trusted friends and think about talking to a counsellor. It's worth the time to gift your soul a fulfilled and happy life.

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Yvonne Sinniah

Author

Yvonne Sinniah (@YvonneSinniah) is a Relations Advisor and inspirational speaker focusing on helping individuals achieve success in personal and professional environments. focusing on helping individuals achieve success in personal and professional environments. She is on a mission to meet a nee...

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