It’s really easy to pretend that the holidays are holly and jolly and merry and bright. But sometimes they aren’t. It feels like a season full of worry and stress. It takes work to keep a positive vibe going. Earlier this month, I went to an EFT class. EFT stands for emotional freedom technique. During the class, everyone went around talking about the top motivators of stress during the holidays. When it comes to stress, it is easy to feel like we are all alone, but in all honesty we aren’t. So many people at the class talked about different areas where they feel stressed most during the holidays.
– Financial
– Family
– Purchasing the right gift
– Weight gain
– Depression
– Bad memories of holidays past
– Loneliness
– Traveling
There were more. Trust me. With twenty of us in the room, we all had our own areas and then there were some that we could identify with. This holiday season, I have been working on keeping my stress levels to a minimum. Here are 7 tips on how to prevent being a Grinch this holiday season.
1. Essential Oils – I’ve been adding essential oils to my showers and laundry. I put lavender in with my sheets and towels. Jasmine and eucalyptus work well inside the shower. The scents help me relax.
2. Exercise – I really made it a point to increase my exercise. Over the last couple of weeks, I have incorporated Piyo into my routine and increased my weekly mileage. Today, I started a new weight training routine! For me, I love early morning workouts. Right when I wake up in the morning at 5 AM. I notice a huge difference in my energy levels throughout the day and my mood as well. Usually around mid afternoon I feel drained but when I do the morning workouts, I feel much better! I have worked my way up to 4/5 weekday mornings with Saturday body pump and Sunday long runs. I also really like long walks with the right playlist.
3. Reading – I have made it a point to start reading everyday. I set a goal to finish out a book I started a few months ago called The Gifts of Imperfection I made it a goal to finish the book before the end of the year. I take the book everywhere I go and it keeps me off of my phone and focused on reading.
4. Resolutions – Focusing on your vision for the future helps. I feel like I’ve been working on my resolutions and vision for the past couple of months. Especially after Refresh Summit. I’m more than okay with focusing on that and not being in a bad mood.
5. Pump up the music – I have been making new playlists and listening to music outside of my comfort zone on Spotify. It’s fun to have new playlists to rotate during workouts. I also have themed lists that work well when I’m relaxing or at work. Right now, I’m trying to get as much play as possible out of my holiday playlists.
6. Eat well – Since I set a goal to make most of my meals at home, I try to make healthy options. I like being able to have citrus foods and fruits daily. I also try to get lots of produce in and limit sweets. This helps balance out all of the sampling that I do at parties and the sweet treats that we have been having at work.
7. Have a relaxed schedule – I made it a point to start my holiday shopping in November. So, I haven’t felt the holiday stress or rush at all this month. I have tried to avoid the traffic and crowds at all cost. Traffic is stressful, and I really appreciate not having to be bothered with it in order to shop.
These are my seven ways to stay full of holiday glee. So, how are you guys holding up against the holiday stress?
