5 Simple Holiday "No Stress" Survival Tips

The traditional intentions for the holidays are family, friends, food and socializing. Chanukah, Christmas, Advent, Kwanza, Yule... so many cultural events, this is the spirit of the season. Yet, it is well known that there is also a risk of stress and overwhelm.

Winter is a season of celebration, it is also the season of the element of water. Water can be turbulent and have us flailing and feeling like we are drowning. It can also be a season of rest, renewal, and going with the flow.

My intention is to share simple tips for helping you to choose rest and renewal. Guiding you to navigate the energies and emotions and arrive at the new year rested, renewed, and ready to create and prosper. My gift to you and your gift to yourself.

Following are a few simple tips to help you balance the fun doing and the restful yin energy of the winter water element and enjoy a holiday with less or no stress.

The ideas are simple and may be familiar. However you relate to them please receive them as reminder-invites to be in practice.

I invite you to:

1. Join the fun - Remember it is your holiday too! This sounds simple but often we focus on giving, creating, and making it wonderful for everyone else and forgetting it is our holiday too. For years I was guilty of working to create the holiday then sitting back to observe while others enjoyed my creations. My energy and appreciation for the season changed when I put myself first and remembered to join in the fun and celebration.
2. Be Sense-uous - At least once a day, stop the doing, breathe and take in the spirit of the holiday with all of your senses. By pausing, breathing and bringing your whole being to the experience it will feel like a mini-retreat. The other day, I stopped along Sixth Avenue to take in a deep breath and enjoy the fragrance of the pine trees for sale on the sidewalk.
3. Boundaries - Allow yourself to set boundaries on your time and energy. Be intentional about your time, your eating, your drinking, your helping, and when you say "Yes" or say "No". Some days will be all about the party and others will be about your needs and desires. It is OK to say "No" when you are doing too much. The winter element calls us to simplify, let go, and conserve energy whenever possible.
4. Big-Kid-friendly - Be sure to add some mindful and mindless fun to your holiday. Get in touch with your inner child, reveling in art, music, and play. Be intentional about activities that get you out of your head with all the thinking and planning and into a lighter body and mind. It can be as simple as joining your children, grandchildren or pet on the floor with their toys, building a snowman or flying a kite. As long as it includes some movement, laughter, or using your hands more than your head.
5. Retreat & Renew - Plan time just for you. This may be a quick break during the busyness or more time after the holidays. Put it on the calendar NOW! It can be part of a day, a whole day or more. It may be a day you enjoy being home alone with a bath, book, and music, or going out to a spa. A day of art and creativity or a walk in the woods. A day when you enjoy your first nap in years, or maybe a simple day with nothing on the calendar. Even if you don't know what you will do, set the time aside and put the date on your calendar now.

https://ezinearticles.com/?5-Simple-Holiday-No-Stress-Survival-Tips&id=9854689

Trampled By Holiday Anxiety? How to Psychologically Protect Yourself All-Year Long

The dust has finally settled.

And the holiday stampede is trailing off in the distance. It can bring love, joy, gratitude and deep connection with family... but also shock waves of stress and anxiety along with it.

Here are two common causes of anxiety and stress that run rampant for the Holidays.

(But if you read carefully, you'll notice these two ring true all-year long)

1) Overwhelmed with commitments

For many their schedule is bursting at the seams... spend titanic amounts of time with family... having to go visit this relative... go to this event... go to this party. It's easy to be pulled in all different directions. Sometimes we're not able to make everything happen. Sometimes we even disappoint certain family members in the process.

Plus, unlike other times of the year, it's harder to escape these commitments.

2) Driven to create the perfect holiday

There's staggering pressure for making it the best experience, purchasing the best gifts, preparing the best meals - all while holding it together for loved ones. And while this care for others is admirable it leaves a trail of exhaustion, overwhelm and stress in its wake.

So what's the holiday goer to do?

Just about everyone I've met who struggles with holiday anxiety gets caught up in a vicious cycle of taking care of everyone else... but themselves. And this happens year-round too, doesn't it?

If I can hand you one shiny gift this year it's this:

I challenge you to reignite your focus on taking care of yourself.

You deserve it.

You'll enjoy it.

You'll be more productive.

You'll be happier.

You'll be less stressed.

You'll be stronger.

You'll serve others better.

However, some people believe:

If they take care of themselves, it'll take away from others.

Quite the contrary...

The more you take care of yourself, the more you can take care of others.

In fact, researchers Van Yperen, Buunk, and Schaufeli, published a study in the Journal of Applied Psychology on this connection. They found that health care professionals that were more immune to burnout were those who helped others but also sought out help and support when they needed it.

It's like that safety lecture on a plane. In an emergency when those yellow rubber masks flop down from the ceiling, the instructions are: "Please secure your own mask before those around you"

Same thing here:

If you want to help others, we have to help ourselves.

If you want others to be at their best, we have at to be at our best.

And there are lots of ways to make that happen.

Here's a jump-start though:

What activities energize you?

What hobbies or activities allow you to be at your best?

What activities really make you happy?

What activities used to bring joy to your life?

And then get the ball rolling on those again.

https://ezinearticles.com/?Trampled-By-Holiday-Anxiety?-How-to-Psychologically-Protect-Yourself-All-Year-Long&id=9868879

Important Considerations To Make When Planning A Lengthy Holiday

When you take a lengthy holiday, you don't just expose yourself to other people and places. You also greatly increase your appreciation for home. In order to ensure that everything is as it should be, you should make the following considerations.

It is important to notify your landlord and your utilities company that you will be away for some time. If any special changes to your utility services need to be paid, you can take care of them at this time. This way, you won't have any unexpected bills or late fees with either of these parties when you return home.

Another vital step to take is to clear out the inbox at your office so that no projects are collecting dust, especially if these things need to be taken care of right away. Make sure that you have a colleague who can field phone calls on your behalf and handle all emergency issues. Create a special, auto message for your email that lets people know you're going to be out of town and tells them when you're coming back.

Make sure that your car is in good working order before you go by getting it tuned up. Have your mechanic top off all your fluids. Even though the vehicle won't be driven, these measures can keep it from suffering undue wear and tear by ensuring that all parts are lubricated and protected against corrosion.

You also want to fill your gas tank all the way up before leaving, especially if you are going to be gone for several weeks. This is especially important for long holidays given that petrol can evaporate. A full tank will prevent sediment from building up in your engine and causing a costly clog.

Review your travel insurance policy to ensure that no oversights have been made. Having adequate cover is important for maintaining peace of mind. It will also give you access to the financial resources you need when unexpected problems arise. You can purchase this online from an insurance company or you can work with your travel agent to incorporate it into your holiday plan.

Have a back up plan in place in case you lose your wallet while away or overspend your cash reserves. For instance, you might want to open an account with an online that serves as a virtual wallet. You can also purchase travelers checks or have friend back at home who can wire you some extra cash. You can even leave some money with this person so that it's readily at hand should the time to send it ever come.

Think about using a domestic airport parking service to house your vehicle during your holiday. These companies can even turn your car on periodically for you so that the battery doesn't go dead. They will give you free transport to and from the airport so that you don't have to hitch a ride with friends or hire a taxi. Best of all, they'll keep your auto safe and secure all throughout the duration of your trip.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Important-Considerations-To-Make-When-Planning-A-Lengthy-Holiday&id=9384545