This post will detail how you can actually enjoy your festive season, no matter what is thrown your way. Keep reading to learn how you can have a stress-free holiday season with these super useful 10 tips.
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How To Have A Stress-Free Holiday Season
Last Updated on October 26, 2021 by ELLEASH
This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I earn a small commission with every purchase you make through my links, and of course, at no additional cost to you. I do greatly appreciate it, as it helps me run my blog and post content that will help you in your daily life. Please read the full disclosure here. Oh, and just in case — I am NOT a mental health professional! What I write are my experiences, tips & personal advice. If you are in need of help, please don’t hesitate to contact a professional! Please read the full disclosure here concerning that point. Okay, that’s out of the way – READ ON!!
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How To Have A Stress-Free Holiday Season: the 10 easy tips to follow
Hey hey my lovely entrepreneurs,
why are the holidays so stressful?
Who is looking forward to the holidays this year? With COVID having been pushed back a little further in our minds, most of us are wanting to embrace having our family, friends over, and just taking the time to enjoy the holidays.
Work isn’t the main focus of our days, we get to eat loads of yummy foods and we can just take the time to reconnect with our loved-ones.
Despite the holidays being a time for joy, connection and shared-moments, they are a major source of stress and anxiety for most of us, right?
It could be that your finances aren’t great, your family dynamics are super worrisome or there are just other things that are eating at you.
So, it’s more than normal to feel that tinge of anxiety in the pit of your stomach, once the holiday season starts and you start seeing the malls and stores putting up their Christmas decorations and Christmas carols are blaring through speakers!
Why are the holidays so stressful then? Well, the most common reason is how much expectation is placed on families to have & provide an unforgettable Christmas.
With the end of the year so close, most of us are already running on fumes, so when we throw into the mix the burden to cook big meals, buy gifts, pay for travel , and just basically try and stretch the budget just before it cracks, it’s more than a little normal that stress rears its ugly head.
In spite of what the Hallmark channel will put forward, insisting that families all love being together, and love one another, many families are fractured, busy and unable or unwilling to live in harmony!
The key to having a stress-free holiday season comes down to how well you prepare yourself and your ability to say no, without feeling guilty.
Your preparation will ensure your family isn’t tearing each other apart! And remember that it doesn’t have to be perfect!
Just as long as each family member is actually having fun and enjoying most moments – even if it’s not all the time.
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how to prepare for stress-free holidays
be super organized
I cannot highlight this enough, but this is where your organizational skills will need to come into play! Nevertheless, just because the holidays are here, does not mean there is an obligation to overextend yourself.
Here are 5 ideas for avoiding that Christmas meltdown:
- If you have non-negotiable things that need to get done, do them. These are pretty much the non-fun things that you cannot not do. Like, paying your bills, making appointments, getting your car serviced – you get my drift!
- If you have unresolved family tensions, get them ironed-out before. Do everything you can to get whatever might add to your holiday-stress, managed before the holidays set in.
- Get all the ungrateful tasks, like cleaning your house, getting rid of clutter, pay your bills, etc …, out of the way before you start hearing those Christmas carols!
- Why not refill prescriptions, clear out space for the holiday decorations to come down from the attic and make space for what you need.
- How about starting to pick up baking items or other staples that you know you are going to need now when you have a bit more time.
All these little things, that if done in advance, will help you avoid that extra mental burden that can lead to crazy stress, or worse, breakdowns!
Some posts that may be of interest to you:
- 10 Natural Ways To Relieve Your Stress Levels Naturally
- The Exact Things I Did Last Month To Stay On Track With My Mental Health
- eat your stress away
- How To stay on track with your mental health
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how having boundaries will help to have a stress-free holiday season
Another tip is to be sure to have your boundaries well marked out.
When children are small, parents set boundaries that are clear expectations for their conduct. As long as a child operates inside the boundaries, they are allowed to engage without any consequences. If they step outside of the boundaries, they are redirected back to what is acceptable.
Parents who place a high value on parenting engage their children in the process. They use logic and love to explain why the rules exist and why the consequences are important for failure to comply.
The benefit of operating within set boundaries becomes knowing what is expected, why and understanding that there are limits. Children raised with clear, consistent and appropriate boundaries tend to be better at self-regulating, delayed gratification and adapting to their settings as adults.
Setting boundaries outside of parenting has the same benefits.
Setting boundaries about the holidays allows for the same outcomes as parenting.
- Preparing a budget and sticking to it,
- deciding whom to share the holidays with and,
- negotiating what activities to participate in,
will create a sense of calm in a potentially anxious season.
The key to making meaningful boundaries is to do it ahead of time.
Prior to the season, discuss the expectations, finances and opportunities available and make clear decisions about how resources will be used.
Once the decisions are made, stick to the plan.
Click below or here if you want 7 more awesome tips to naturally alleviate stress.
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4 MORE tips to help reduce stress during the holidays
The power of self care
It shouldn’t come as a surprise, but I am going to mention the power of self care here again! If you’ve been reading my blog posts, you know by now that I am a little obsessed with self care and how important it is to one’s life!
Well, in this case, when it comes to striving for. less stressful holidays, self care is primordial! And not just for you either. It should be embraced by the whole family.
So, adequate sleep, any form of exercise (outdoors are great even when the weather is cool if in the northern hemisphere, or beaching it if you’re DownUnder!!), and also don’t forget some downtime.
The holidays are already a super busy period, so taking the time to just sit around the fire together, enjoying each other’s company, or maybe just going for a walk alone, and hey, if time permits, take a nap!
All of these self care moments will ensure you are not overwhelmed and stressed out because of the holidays and all that they entail.
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You’re allowed to say no
You don’t have to say yes to every outing, get-together or invitation thrown your way. It’s perfectly acceptable to refuse and take a stand if there are things that are going to cause you more stress than joy.
Some posts that may be of interest to you:
- 5 Ways To Be More Confident
- 10 Natural Ways To Relieve Your Stress Levels Naturally
- Water Is The Key To Your Natural Beauty
- 10 Tips To Clearer Skin
- The Exact Things I Did Last Month To Stay On Track With My Mental Health
- 10 Easy Ways to eat healthy on a budget
- eat your stress away
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be fully present
What is important though is being present when you are doing something. And I mean fully present. Stay in the moment. Remember the reason for your season! Being fully present will help you enjoy everything so much more.
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be giving
When you are freely and willingly giving yourself, your time or your resources for the benefit of others, you are without question going to feel good about yourself, in turn helping reduce that stress you may be feeling.
When you do this obligation-free and spontaneously, no matter your finances, your family dynamics or your time constraints, you can give in a meaningful way towards something that is bigger than you and will set your soul at ease.
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the takeway
When it comes to the holidays, we are all a little overwhelmed and sometimes just don’t feel like being all that cheery. Knowing that you don’t have to do things perfectly and that the social expectations are just that – expectations.
Doing your own thing, the way you want to do it, isn’t a bad thing.
The most important aspect of the holiday season is spending the time with those we love and being fully present when we are with them.
Think of those past Christmases and what is it that you remember? Encompassing that Christmas spirit should never be synonymous with doing what everyone is doing. Nor is it keeping up with the societal expectations!
Just enjoy those special moments, where work and other troublesome aspects of life can be just pushed aside for a few days!
Elle Ash xo
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