Day 9: Ways To Reduce Holiday Stress
b'Here are 10 ways to reduce holiday stress before it comes, so you can spend your time on what really matters to you:\\n\\n1). Clearly picture the Christmas you want to have. Set expectations for yourself and others by painting a picture of what you want your Christmas to look like. Be crystal clear. Here are some things to think about before the holidays start:\\n\\n\\u2022\\tWho\\u2019s sitting at the table at mealtime?\\n\\u2022\\tWhat are you eating for dinner?\\n\\u2022\\tWhat are you going to have or not have? \\n\\u2022\\tWhich Christmas movies are you watching?\\n\\u2022\\tWhat gifts are you giving, or not giving this year?\\n\\n2). Set boundaries. Over the holidays, it might seem like your mom, father-in-law or second cousin call the shots. That couldn\\u2019t be more wrong; you choose them. You get to decide where you go, how long you stay there, who you invite into your home, and how much money you\\u2019ll spend. It\\u2019s important to set those boundaries before you kick off the Christmas festivities. Before you commit to anything, decide what your limits are for:\\n\\n\\u2022Traveling: Will you drive or fly? How long will you visit?\\n\\u2022Hosting guests: How long will they stay, and can they bring their pet? \\n\\u2022Spending: How much money are you budgeting for presents this year? How many gifts should each person on your list get?\\n\\u2022Food: What is the menu for the day? \\n\\u2022Conflict: How will you handle a disagreement if one breaks out?\\n\\nBy the way, don\\u2019t drive or fly thousands of miles to a place that\\u2019s inhospitable or threatening. You can always say no than you, to their invitation. However, once you commit to seeing your family and or friends, do it with a good attitude. \\n\\n3). Avoid family conflict. Even the best families can drive you crazy. So, this year, before you even pack your bags, think about conflicts that might pop up. If your dad has a pattern of talking bad about a particular group of people, don\\u2019t be surprised when he starts one of his rants. You can\\u2019t change him, but you can decide how you respond.\\n\\n\\u2022You can ask someone to stop. It\\u2019s possible to be direct and still be kind.\\n\\u2022You can always get up and leave. Sometimes walking away, is the best thing you can do.\\n\\u2022Create a plan of action. Decide ahead of time how you\\u2019ll respond if tensions start to build.\\n\\u2022Communicate your plan ahead of time. Make it clear that you don\\u2019t want to talk about politics or anything negative. \\n\\n4). Focus on what you can control. There are only two things you can control, and they are your thoughts and your actions. You can\\u2019t control what your parents say around the dinner table. You can\\u2019t control your kids\\u2019 attitudes.\\n\\n5. Know your role in the situation. If you\\u2019re going to your significant others house for Christmas and you have to sleep on the uncomfortable couch and eat her family\\u2019s food that\\u2019s much different than what you normally eat, remember the world doesn\\u2019t revolve around you and it\\u2019s not your house. Your role is to support your partner, so embrace it. You chose to go, so decide to make hilarious memories instead of whining about the accommodations.\\n\\n6). Understand it\\u2019s ok to say no. No matter who you are, it\\u2019s crazy absurd to try to attend a million white elephant parties, ornament exchanges and cookie-decorating parties.\\n\\n7). Take a social media break. There\\u2019s an overwhelming amount of data, nonsense, and news in our country right now. Not only is it all over our TVs, but it also floods our social media feeds. Those perfectly curated Instagram and Pinterest Christmas feeds will only lead to us comparing and keeping up with the Joneses.\\n\\n8). Make a Christmas budget. A budget creates boundaries for your wallet. Budgeting helps to reduce stress because it gives you a plan for your money. \\n\\n9. Get plenty of sleep and movement. Anxiety affects at least 40 million people in the U.S., and one of the most powerful tools you have to reduce anxiety is sleep.\\n\\n10. Take some quiet time for yourself. Keep your sanity by scheduling some quiet time to do things you enjoy. \\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n--- \\n\\nSend in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michelle4466/message\\nSupport this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michelle4466/support'