I feel like there is a lot of pressure during the Holidays. I hear so many people exclaim this time of year is so stressful. Just recently I had a conversation with a friend who couldn’t sleep and she noticed that the same thing happens every year. I get it. And this year, this year could be so much worse in terms of amount of stress. There are so many ADDED stressors. We each have our own “regular” Holiday stress and we each have our own stressors that are added because of the world situation, so I am not going to list them because I don’t want to bring up one you may not have thought of! 🙂 You may have seen a few of my posts in the past about how I was trying to reduce the stress during the Holidays. I believe that there are different types of stress. Two examples of types are things we can’t control and the ones we can . . . perhaps even the stressors we cause or add ourselves. I know those were the ones I was trying to reduce. Life is stressful and this year is a doozy so why not try to alleviate some of the ones we can. I was thinking . . . .
Perhaps this year might be the year when your friends and/or family draw names. Instead of the regular everyone-buying-something-for-everyone, maybe just focusing on one person might help relieve some stress. It could also include maybe some conversations and building of relationship with that person. Maybe you get to talk to them to see what the want or what they like. To me, right now, it is precious to speak with people since I am not actually going out and seeing people. Some friends had made comments to me about how difficult shopping is this year because of the situations and restrictions. A lot of people don’t like shopping online . . . they like to be in stores to SHOP and that might not be possible this year. So buying for one person might be the answer to helping lessen the stress.
Seems like the stereo-typical stress of having to be with family is already eliminated, but for some not being able to be with family is causing stress. I know many people might be Zoomed out, but I still think it is still a great way to gather without being there in person. Whatever you regularly do, do that . . . if you dress up, dress up. If you have ugly sweater gatherings, do that. Try to keep the connection with friends and family but keep it as stress free as possible.
Maybe giving up sending out cards. Maybe not having the big dinner because it is just going to be the few in your household, so maybe skip a dish or two. Maybe decorating less. Look at what causes you stress — what you can control — and see if you can change the pattern. Whatever you can do to help alleviate stress in this stressful time of year, might be great this year.
I am a big believer that this time of year should be fun and joyful so I think less stress is best.
Also, this is a difficult one for many of us, get enough sleep. It is a fact that it is more difficult to deal with stress when we have not had enough sleep. So work on that. This is a big one for me as I tend to stay up late anyway and turning off my Christmas tree to go to bed is one less day I have to enjoy it so I stay up late.
Also . . . yeah, another one . . . eat good. Avoiding sugar is something that is really difficult this time of year . . . . although there might actually be less sweets to tempt you this year if you are not going into the office with a break room table full of treats. Sugar is not a friend to the immune system and right now our immune systems can use all the help they can get.
Stress does not help with sleep nor the immune system so it is somewhat cyclical.
This time of year is stressful. Especially this year with all that we have gone through. We are exhausted, tired, and stressed. Now some of these things are not things that people readily admit soooooo they might not even be identified. This year we’re going through stuff. So think about what you can do to help relieve the stress.
Anything you can cross of your stress-causing list?
Oh, Yin Yoga could help you with stress . . . having a free class Friday, 12.11.20 – info at http://www.helpyouwell.com/
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