How to Survive the Holiday Season

Thanksgiving will usher in the holiday season this week. While gathering with family and friends to break bread and count your many blessings seems like a Norman Rockwell moment, it also brings on the holiday stress. Thanksgiving requires a lot of planning, from shopping for the many food items on the menu to making seating arrangements and confirming the guest list. The next step is even more stressful: cooking the many dishes simultaneously. It practically requires a project manager to complete all steps in a timely manner.

Between Thanksgiving and New Years there are many holiday gatherings and parties to attend. This causes even more stress. Each gathering requires an outfit, which cannot be duplicated. Then there is the matter of the hostess gift and party appetizers. Great pains are made to ensure the proper gift is in hand.

In the midst of all this stress, it is important to actually survive the madness. Even though the holidays are fun, it is important to take care of yourself. It seems that holidays involve thinking of others and showing your love for one another, when taking care of one self is neglected. In order to survive the holiday season, make sure to take the following measures.

Take time to be alone. It doesn't have to be for a long period of time but rather a few private moments will work. Take five to ten minutes on your lunch break or after you get the kids to school and find a quiet spot to be alone with yourself. Close your eyes and clear your mind of all obligations and plans you have been mulling over. Allow your thoughts to drift as you feel your body relax. Only a few moments a day can create the balance you need to survive the holiday season.

Sometimes keeping your social agenda in your head proves to be a mistake as we forget how much of our time we give away. Make sure to plan your time so that last minute errands and obligations do not overwhelm you. Buy an inexpensive day planner and write in all of your holiday social events. This will give you a visual of all that you have committed to. Write in the holiday parties, the kids school parties, the office get-togethers and the gifts that are required for each occasion. As you complete the events and procure the appropriate gifts, cross this off your calendar.

Finally, remember to acknowledge all for which you are grateful. When we voice the things we are grateful for, we allow the goodness of the season to surround us. Make sure to tell the people who love you and provide you happiness that you are grateful for their involvement in your life. Sharing your good thoughts with others breaks down stress and allows harmony. After all, less stress and lots of happiness and harmony will help you survive the holiday season.