Holiday Stress – Nothing Changes Until You Do
Here we go again – another busy holiday season.
If you are one of those are bracing yourself for a holiday season that leads to stress and anxiety, this article is just for you.
The stress of the holiday season is predictable…
• Stressful family relationships
• Too many holiday parties and other commitments
• Pressures for baking, cooking, decorating and hosting events
• Pressures for gift-giving, shopping
• Crowded stores and malls with long lines
• Added financial strain that can come with gift-giving
The commitments and pressures of the holidays don’t ever seem to change. In fact, you generally have little ability to change those external factors.
So, despite those anxiety-provoking stressors, do you want this holiday season to be different, maybe even more peaceful and enjoyable?
You can have that! But not by relying on those external factors to change. Rely on yourself.
Changing internal factors can change your experience of this holiday season.
But what can you change?
Lots of things….
• How you think about the holiday pressures
o Do you think you have to do it all?
o Do you think everything needs to be perfect?
• How you respond to the holiday stressors
o How do you respond to those difficult family members?
o How do you respond to other people’s holiday expectations?
• The choices you make
o What will you say yes to?
o What will you say no to?
o What are your reasons for the choices you make?
• Permissions you give yourself
o Do you give yourself permission to decline an invitation?
o To change a holiday tradition so that it is easier on you?
o To do something nice for yourself?
Rethink traditions
Traditions are not a problem unless they’re a problem. If they cause unhappiness or anxiety, that’s a problem.
During the holidays we do lots of things on autopilot for the sake of tradition. Times change and that’s OK. Maybe it’s time for a new tradition, perhaps an even better one.
Some traditions you may love and want to keep. Others you may not love… so go ahead and either decline, or modify.
Transform obligations
Be powerful and make choices that work for you. Once you make a choice to do something because you want to do it (not “have to”), it ceases to be an obligation. Now it’s a choice.
Obligations are those things that you think you have to do. Stop shoulding on yourself.
Transform obligations by thinking about them differently. Or at least think about them consciously and make conscious choices, rather than continue on autopilot.
Holiday stress…nothing changes until you do.