The Holidays are upon us and for most of us that means holiday stress.
Why is it that the most wonderful time of the year turns out to be a nightmare for so many? It doesn t have to be that way! Here are 5 keys how to truly create Happy Holidays starting today!
Key 1: Plan ahead on Paper!
Take a few minutes ideally right now and begin writing down:
•The list of people you d like to give presents to
•Your holiday card list
•Your food plans for the holidays
•Who you want to visit and what functions you need to attend
Leave some room under each category so you can add more details as you continue to expand on this list. Just putting this on paper will be an enormous relief to you if it s on paper, you no longer need to remember it in your head, which will greatly reduce the holiday stress you experience.
Key 2: Decide on a Holiday Spending Budget Now and then Stick With It!
No new credit cards just to buy gifts the financial stress that comes with repaying these bills once the holidays are over is simply not worth it. If money is tight right now, be honest about it, and instead of going into debt, take some time to make gifts yourself: bake cookies or homemade bread, make jelly, create small scrapbooks or decorate a picture frame. Write a heart felt letter, make up a song or a poem, draw or paint something. Honor yourself by living within your means and that includes the money you allocate for gifts.
Key 3: Stay Away From Rush Hour Shopping !
If you are employed, consider taking a few hours vacation time and shop in the morning or even late at night. If you have kids, swap babysitting time with a friend or neighbor so you can both get kids free shopping time.
Key 4: Choose your Response!
Think back for a moment: Last time you were stuck in a long line at the register and getting totally stressed out about it, did you notice that the line was not moving any faster just because you got anxious? We can t always choose our circumstances, but we can always choose how we respond.
So this year, instead of creating more holiday stress for yourself, why don t you take along an MP3 player or IPod loaded with feel good music, carry with you a good book or a small notepad to update your to do list? Or, my personal favorite: While you are stuck in traffic or at the check out, send good thoughts to every person around you! This will make everyone including you feel better instantly!
Key 5: Take a Break Now!
Give yourself the gift of taking time to breathe and to just be . Enjoy the luxury of a nice bath, stop at the coffee shop or read a good book in front of the fireplace. Just giving yourself 15 minutes here and there will make a world of difference in how you feel and how you respond to the world around you.
Follow these steps, and you can finally say good bye to holiday stress!
Wishing you truly the most wonderful time of the year ,
Marion Solis
Author Resource:
Marion Solis has coached and inspired hundreds of people since 2001, assisting them to leave their stress behind and re-discover their enthusiasm for life.To learn a quick 2-minute stress relief technique guaranteed to work, along with its 5-second shortcut, go to http://www.HolidayStressBusters.com
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