How to Survive & Thrive Through the Holidays

There’s officially ONE WEEK until Christmas…For a lot of people this week is FILLED with stress and craziness, but it doesn’t have to be! In this post I’m going over some ways to keep you happy, sane and actually enjoy the holidays this year.

I know how it is.

This is the last week and there a million and one things left to do in order to get ready for the craziness that’s about to ensue. You still have gifts to get, food to make, ingredients to buy, accommodations to make, travel plans to finalize, family visits to get ready for, etc, etc.

WOW! Step back for a second, take a deep breath, and let’s get back to what’s really important here.

Don’t lose sight of what it’s all about.

What’s actually important? What do you really want out of the holidays? Focus on what’s actually important–spending quality time with loved ones and making memories. Focus on enjoying the time spent together and feeling the love. Stressful things WILL happen. They just will. It’s all about how you handle that stress and making sure you keep things in perspective. Remember what it’s all about.

Keep your expectations realistic.

It’s easy to get in over your head with planning things that might not actually be realistic. You might overcommit to things, put too much responsibility on your own shoulders, or have the belief that everything has to be PERFECT. Not realistic and a total recipe for disaster and disappointment. Things will be messy, stuff will come up, and not everything will go according to plan. But that’s okay! Focus on what you can do and set yourself up for success by keeping realistic expectations for yourself and those around you.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

It’s easy to say yes to everything and bite off more than you can chew. Be sure to set some boundaries and don’t overload yourself. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. The whole point is to enjoy yourself and the time you have with loved ones. You can’t do that if you’re stressing over every detail of the day.

Stay grateful.

You can’t be overwhelmed and simultaneously grateful. Gratitude takes over any negative emotions you might have. If you’re feeling overwhlemed, aggitated, angry, or hurt, take some time out to be alone and take inventory of everything you have to be truly grateful for. The more you can list, the better you’ll start to feel. It really puts things in perspective. We all have so much in our lives to be grateful for that we take for granted. Focus on all of the magic in your life.

Take care of yourself.

Don’t slack on this one. It won’t just hurt you, it’ll hurt everyone around you too. If you don’t take care of yourself, you won’t be able to show up as your best self and be fully present in the moment. Instead, you’ll be tired, easily agitated, and no fun to be around. Get your sleep, eat your veggies, make time to move your body, drink your water, and make some time for yourself to just be. Try to keep stress levels as low as possible.

Don’t take anything personal.

Much easier said than done–I know, trust me. As sad as it is to say, sometimes the worst in people come out during the holidays. With the added stress everyone’s under and with most people not taking care of themselves, it’s a recipe for a whole lot of easily agitated, on-edge people. Someone might steal your parking spot or make a nasty remark while you’re shopping. It might even be a family member who says something hurtful. Whatever it is, try to just let it go. Realize that it’s a crazy time for everyone and whatever happened was most likely not about you at all, but about the person who did it. Don’t dwell. Shift your thoughts and just let it go…

Check in.

Every now and then check in with yourself. How are you feeling? What’s going on? Are you actually enjoying yourself? Don’t lose sight of what’s really important. Sporadically checking in will help keep your mind in the right place and your happiness levels high.

I hope that you have the most wonderful, low stress, enjoyable holiday!

Until next time,

Xoxo

Ashley