Destress the Holidays

Healthy and Well De-Stress This Holiday

It is the most wonderful time of the year!

By Tracy McCoy

Awise doctor once told me, If I could fix stress, all I’d have left to treat is strep throat. Stress is a killer and it is part of everyday life. While “mindfulness” is often overused, it is one of the keys to de-stressing your life. Putting the past behind you and letting tomorrow take care of itself (Biblical) means all that you have control over is today, and isn’t that enough? Planning is also a way to avoid stress but the term “progress over perfection” comes to mind. Make plans but if there is a glitch don’t let it ruin your day. Recently I heard a young lady, who is a barber, talking about cancellations in her schedule. She fretted over the money she lost when a client cancelled, the way it messed up her day. She said that she has learned that “God is in the cancellations”. Sometimes plans change and what comes next is for our best or for our better! Learning to roll with the changes (REO Speedwagon) might be a huge de-stressor. So I began searching for some tips to share with you (mostly for my own sanity) on how to take unnecessary stress out of what is supposed to be a very happy time of the year. Celebrations are supposed to be a joyful time, not make you want to pull your hair out. Unnecessary stress, that is a weird way to say it. Isn’t all stress unnecessary? Simply put, no. Stress is a trigger for our fight and flight response. It spurs us to better performance and cognitive abilities, keeps us alert and “on top of our game”. According to UC Berkley, “In studies on rats, they found that significant, but brief stressful events caused stem cells in their brains to proliferate into new nerve cells that, when mature two weeks later, improved the rats’ mental performance.” On the flip-side, chronic stress can affect our memory, heart, digestion, increase the risk of obesity and depression. Stress is sometimes unavoidable, but some of it is avoidable and that makes it unnecessary! A few good strategies for dealing with holiday stress are to set boundaries. Don’t be afraid to decline an invitation that you know could result in added stress rather than adding to the enjoyment of your Christmas and New Year’s celebrations. No is a complete sentence, and no further explanations are necessary. Instead of running from one house to another and eating two huge meals in one day, choose to be at one this year and the other the next. Otherwise you are going to be stressed out and unbuttoning your britches on the way home. Making your gift list early and shopping local, small town, family owned businesses will help you avoid large crowds and hectic shopping. Many find picking up gifts throughout the year means that they are done before the turkey is finished on Thanksgiving. The tree goes up and gifts go under it. Then they are free to enjoy the sights and sounds of the season without the added stress of trying to find that perfect gift with thousands of others. Gift certificates make great gifts and even more special are handmade gifts. This is going to require that you start early so you are not trying to knit 10 scarves on December 10th. I would rather receive a thoughtful homemade item over almost any other. Maybe you aren’t crafty and don’t have a creative bone in your body. Well there are many local artists who are and their works make excellent options especially for that friend or family member who has everything! Don’t overcommit. You don’t have to take the entire meal on yourself, delegate and realize that most people love to contribute to the holiday meal. It is a great way to let others help and enjoy their recipes too. Planning your meal and reaching out early to others who may bring a dish makes it easier on all. You also don’t need so much food that you have to throw it away or come up with creative ideas for leftover turkey or ham. IF you have a lot of leftovers remember that there are way too many people who will have nothing to eat and look for ways to share your bounty. Cleaning your house from top to bottom is not necessary and 99% of the people that are coming will be so happy to see you and be among your guests. Don’t worry that someone is going to see the dust on the top of the entertainment center. I guarantee they are not going to notice and if someone does and mentions it, don’t invite them next year. Everything does not need to be perfect, to try to achieve that will definitely add to your stress. Also when the meal is over, take them up on their offer to help you clear the table and take care of the dishes. Being a great hostess does not include spending the rest of the night washing dishes and cleaning up. Above all else, take care of yourself throughout the season. Find time to relax, refresh and renew, whatever that looks like for you. Maybe a massage or spa day before or after the big event. You can not pour from an empty cup, so remember SELF CARE! Keep the focus on the real reason we are celebrating and share the story of Jesus with your family. We wish you a Merry and Stress-free Christmas!

48 - www.laurelofnortheastgeorgia.com - December 2022