Holiday Harmony – Maintaining Inner Peace During the Holidays

The winter holiday season is upon us. Whether you go all out with the decorations and celebrations or choose a couple of events to attend, the festivities may cause some stress and chaos. No matter what’s going on around you, there are some things you can do to maintain your inner peace and enjoy the season.

Schedule Down Time. Friends and family members are coming into town or you’re on your way out of town. You have dinners, parties, and, game nights to attend. You have gifts to buy, errands to run, and meals to cook. Don’t forget the most important thing: YOU. Schedule some down time. You may not have a whole day to spare, but you can always find a block of time to set aside for yourself. Don’t fill this time with any obligations. Relax. Watch your favorite show, read a book, take a bubble bath–do something just for you. Trust me, you’ll need this time to recharge.
Set Boundaries & Limits. You don’t owe it to anyone to be around people that you don’t want to be around, but that choice may come with its own set of complications. Often times, it’s not an entire family or group that you want to avoid. Do you miss out on the family gathering because that one person is also invited? Do you cancel on your friends because you don’t know for sure who all will show up? That’s one option, but setting limits is also an option. Set a time limit for how long you will stay in a certain environment. Set boundaries for what conversations you will and will not take part in. Do what’s best for you to protect your peace of mind.
Take a Deep Breath. Take a few deep breaths anytime you’re feeling overwhelmed. Holiday stress getting to you? Conversation getting heated? Feel like you’re going to snap if someone asks you one more thing? Find yourself running, literally running around the kitchen or in and out of the car running last minute errands? BREATHE. Before you jump out of the car and run into that next store, take deep intentional breaths. It centers you, releases tension, and allows you to pause before you make your next decision.
Forgive. This doesn’t have anything to do with the person who wronged you. It doesn’t mean that you’re willing to forget what they did. It doesn’t mean that they’ve finally apologized and you’ve accepted it. It’s not about someone else making amends. They don’t even have to know that you’ve forgiven them. It’s a personal (often times difficult) choice. You’re choosing to let go of the hurt and pain that someone caused you. You’re choosing to free yourself of that burden and not expend anymore energy on the situation or person. Try it, you’ll be surprised at how much lighter you feel.
Cut Yourself Some Slack. If you’re hosting a dinner or gathering, cut yourself some slack. Everything doesn’t have to be perfect, and no matter how much effort and preparation you put into it, something is bound to go wrong and that’s okay. Your guests are there to have a good time. Hopefully you make a habit of surrounding yourself with good people–they won’t be judging your place settings and they won’t notice that your centerpiece isn’t perfect. They’ll enjoy your company and appreciate the time you took to bring everyone together.
Exercise. Your time is valuable. You’re stretched thin, and you have to cut corners somewhere. I hear you, but don’t cut out your exercise. Physical activity is the easiest way to release stress. You may not be able to squeeze in a full workout routine everyday, but you’ll be surprise at how much difference a walk around the block can make.
Count Your Blessings. Having an “attitude for gratitude” can instantly change your mindset. This is not discounting the stress you’re under or everything that could be going wrong. You have real problems and situations that need attention. But you have also been spared from things, and had situations work out in your favor that were heading in a different direction. Take notice of the things that are going well in your life, they deserve some attention too. You can always think of something to be grateful for –expend your mental energy on this and watch your stress dissipate.

What do you think about these tips? Have any of your own to share? Let me know in the comments!

-S.M. Grady

Need help getting started with self-care? Check out this guided self-care journal, and a couple of books for leisure activities.