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Bust Holiday Stress
By Norma Schmidt, Coach, LLC, Fri Dec 9th
The holidays will be here before you know it. Clear the way forgreater joy, love and meaning this year by busting these sourcesof holiday stress: 1. Too much to do in too little time. *This week, set holiday priorities with your family. Discusswhat traditions to keep, which to discard, and which newtraditions to try.
*Make a holiday to-do list NOW and create a realistic schedulefor when to accomplish each item. *Avoid overscheduling. *Ask family members for help with holiday tasks. 2. Long lines in stores. *Shop via catalog or Internet, and avoid stores on weekends ifyou can. *If you're shopping with small children, take along snacks,books, toys or other items to make waiting in line morepleasant. Or, if you're sufficiently uninhibited, sing a holidaysong with your child. *If you're shopping alone, use waiting time to relax and andcenter yourself with meditation or prayer. Try directing yourattention to your breathing at your belly. Or practice observingthe people around you through the eyes of compassion, withoutjudging. Give thanks or pray for healing, peace, or otherconcerns close to your heart. 3. Difficult relatives. *Take some quiet time to develop a plan for taking care ofyourself around relatives who “get your goat.” *Invest in yourself by using a therapist to help create a planto protect your boundaries. 4. Cranky kids. *Think "low key" for a happy celebration with little ones.Remember that your small child thrives on your undividedattention
and has a limited capacity to adjust to adult "needs"to hurry. *Protect your child's naptime and playtime. *Spend floor-time with your child every day. 5. Commercialism. *Create family traditions that involve giving to those in need. *Focus on low-cost or no-cost holiday traditions. *Help keep children's expectations realistic. For example, youmight say You'll get about the same amount of presents as youdid on your birthday. 6. Bills! *Decide on a holiday budget for entertaining and gifts. * If credit cards make overspending too easy, stick to cash forholiday purchases. 7. Loss. * If you have lost a loved one, the holidays may intensify yourgrief. Explore ways to cope atwww.griefnet.org/library/articles/hfa-tips.html orwww.mayoclinic.com/invoke.cfm?id=FL00055. *If holiday blues persist or seem particularly intense, don'thesitate to reach out for professional help. Your physician orclergyperson can give you a referral. 8. Post-holiday let-down. *Spread out the fun at least through the end of school vacationby planning an outing or a fun time at home for each day. *Have a party and finish your leftover holiday sweets the nightbefore school resumes. A little forethought and planning can go a long way towardsmaking you glad the holidays are coming - instead of just gladwhen they're over. Your wisdom holds the key to holiday joy. © 2004 Norma Schmidt, Coach, LLC About the author:Norma Schmidt, Coach, LLC, edits "The Balance Point," afree-biweekly e-zine for women who are both professionals andparents. She offers individual and group coaching andteleclasses.
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