Stress less this holiday part 2

  • Nov 30, 2023 08:46 AM Central
  • Nancy Wimmer
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Stress less this holiday part 2

You will stress less when you set boundaries.

Over the holidays, you get to decide where you go, how long you stay there, who you invite into your home, and how much money you’ll spend. It might feel like your mom, father-in-law or second cousin will be calling the shots but you get to choose. 
It’s important to set boundaries before you’re knee-deep in Christmas festivities. The last thing you want is to find yourself fighting about politics with your grandma or discussing vaccinations with your father-in-law. Without boundaries, everyone loses.  
Before you commit to anything, decide what your limits are for traveling or for hosting guests. Is it three days? What about two weeks? If you’re married, talk to your spouse and create a plan that works for both of you.
By the way . . . don’t drive or fly thousands of miles to a place that’s inhospitable and threatening. You can say no. But once you decide and commit to seeing family, you must do it with a good attitude. Choose to find joy in the hard moments. Think of things that bring you joy to help you through. 

Make a Christmas budget.

A budget is creating boundaries for your wallet and budgeting helps reduce stress because it gives you a plan for your money.
Remember, you get to control your thoughts and actions—including your spending. You get to decide where every single dollar in your bank account goes. Setting a budget for Christmas will help you avoid impulse purchases or spending too much on those white elephant gifts. There’s nothing worse than waking up the day after Christmas broke with no idea where your paycheck went. So make a budget and stick to it. You’ll be glad you did. 

 Focusing on what you can control will reduce stress.

There are only two things on planet Earth you can control: your thoughts and your actions. That’s it. You can’t control what your parents say around the dinner table. You can’t control your kids’ attitudes. And when you choose to let go of what you can’t control, you’ll automatically reduce the amount of stress in your life by refusing to carry other people’s problems.  
In stressful seasons it can help to make a list of what is  stressing you. Then write down the things that are in your control. Everything else gets tossed in the trash. Take control and ownership of your thoughts and actions and do what’s best for you and your family. Use your oils to help keep your emotions in check. 


How to have a stress less Holiday

  • Nov 28, 2023 12:20 PM Central
  • Nancy Wimmer
  • 0 Comments
How to have a stress less Holiday

Stress is our mind and body’s response to the responsibilities and demands of our lives. Stress is normal. When we experience a threat—whether it’s holiday traffic, passive-aggressive family members, or a family fight over Christmas dinner—our brains flood our bodies with stress hormones, like cortisol and adrenaline. Our bodies prepare to take action. Our heart rates spike. Our pupils dilate. Our muscles tighten. Everyone responds differently to different situations. My stress trigger may not be a trigger for you, we are all on our own journey. 

The holidays should be joyful and restorative, but they’re often demanding. And this season, we’ll need to give ourselves and others some grace—a lot of it. Make no mistake: Stressful events will happen. But here’s the exciting thing: We get to choose how we respond to those events. 

Refusing to let stress run your life is a daily choice. The key is to be intentional, plan ahead, and make choices that are easy to live out. This year, let’s put in the extra effort to get our minds and hearts in a good place before we head to Mom and Dad’s house for Christmas dinner . . . or before uncle Eddy plans his surprise visit.


 Clearly picture the Christmas you want to have.


It is true that our thoughts create our reality, so let’s set expectations for yourself and others by painting a picture of what you want your Christmas to look like. Who’s sitting around the table at mealtime? What are you all eating? What are you talking about—or not talking about? Are you attending a church service? Playing games?

Whatever it is, keep that picture at the front of your mind. Share your picture with your loved ones so they can understand where you’re coming from. Ask them to paint a picture of what they want too so you can choose to honor them. 

And if something comes up that threatens to take the place of what’s truly important to you and your family, give yourselves permission to say no. 

Choose to have  your calendar and to-do list reflect your picture of Christmas that you want to experience.


Limit your time on social media

There’s an overwhelming amount of information, nonsense and news in our country right now. Not only do we see it on our TVs, but now we’re seeing it through our social media feeds. It’s literally making us insane. When you’re stressed, stay off social media. Those perfectly curated Instagram and Pinterest feeds won’t do anything but allow you to compare your holiday plans to others. Social media pictures are fantasy. They’re not real. They don’t show the burned turkeys, family fights and mounting piles of credit card debt. This Christmas, spend more time looking into your loved one’s eyes than staring at your screens. Hold hands, not video game controllers. Throw a football or kick a soccer ball—in real life. Choose human connection, joy and laughter over thumbs-ups and retweets. Each one of your electronic devices comes with an off button. Use it. 

Being sick at Christmastime is the absolute worst—but exercising, getting outside, and resting are all immune-boosting activities that will help you feel strong, peaceful and healthy. Use your oils, Some will help you sleep others will help you stay calm others will boost your immune system.  Stress is part of life, so let’s do our part to be gracious and generous with ourselves and the people we care about. 






 
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