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The holidays are a time of celebration, parties, travel, gifts and happiness. Yet many people say it’s the most stressful time of year. We juggle a lot. Money gets tight. Time is stretched even thinner than usual. Family drama re-surfaces. These things can all steal the excitement and happiness from the holiday season. In this episode of The Happy Hour Effect podcast, you will learn five ways to minimize the stress of the holiday season so you feel more joy and relaxation instead.
YOUR TAKEAWAYS
5 Holiday Stress Survival Tips
- Do your own thing. Don’t worry about others’ expectations of you. Create a holiday experience that works for you and your loved ones even if that means letting go of some of the commitments you’ve made in the past. Honor your own time and needs and don’t prioritize others over you and your loved ones.
- Ditch gifts for experiences. Research proves people are happier with experiences than gifts so swap the scarf/mitten set for a lunch out together instead. Try cooking classes, yoga, wine tasting, dinner and a movie, indoor trampoline park, sledding – anything that you experience together instead of a tangible gift.
- Let it go. No, not the song from Frozen, but kinda the same message. Just be yourself and do the activities that make you happy. It’s similar to #1 but more about indulging in your favorite hobbies, traditions and experiences. When you know yourself and what you enjoy, you can do those things to help balance out the stressful stuff.
- Escape the madness. If you hate crowds, don’t shop on the weekends. Go early in the morning or better yet, shop online. If your family gatherings are stressful, find a quiet place to sit or plan an exit strategy to leave early. If a company holiday party causes anxiety, make an appearance and leave early.
- Enjoy it. Don’t get so overwhelmed by to-do lists, gift lists, grocery lists and decorating to forget to just enjoy the season. There are so many great things about the holidays – music, food, gatherings, decorations – it’s up to you to seek them out and appreciate them.
SHOTS OF INSPIRATION
I shared a few links during the show:
Healthy Happy Holiday program (book and CDs)
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