Adding Peace to the Holidays

The month of December tends to be a whirlwind of parties, shopping, cooking, and cleaning.  Each culture has certain traditions that members feel obliged to conform to.  We often feel frazzled by the preparation leading up to the special day.  Do you ever wish you could just say, "Stop!  Let me off this ride!"  Here are some ways to add a bit of peacefulness back into the holiday:

• Put the holidays in perspective!  Remember that the holiday season is just a few short weeks of the year.  If this year is stressful for you, it will be over soon (and then you have next year to look forward to.)  Do what you want to during the holidays and discard the rest.  The holidays are a time for being with loved ones. 
   
• Prioritize traditions!  If there are some traditions that you just don't enjoy anymore, think about whether you really need to include them in your holiday.  Don't be afraid to start new traditions.  Discuss with your family what you would like to experience during the holidays and let everyone have a say in creating some new rituals to celebrate.  Make the holidays your own!
  
  
• Practice extreme self care!  Remember that this is the season of giving.  Give to yourself first.  Take extreme care of yourself at this time.  Get plenty of sleep, eat nutritious foods (overindulge if you feel like it), get some exercise (anything that you enjoy doing), and enjoy some leisurely activities (whatever nourishes your spirit.)  When you take care of yourself, you will have the energy to survive (and even thrive) during the holidays.
  
  
• HALT!  Check in with yourself and make sure you are not too Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired.  If you are hungry, then eat something you enjoy that is nutritious.  For anger, take deep breaths and remind yourself that your anger will not get you anywhere.  Don't repress your anger, though.  Release it in healthy ways like screaming into a pillow or venting to a friend.  If you are lonely, call or make a date with a new acquaintance or friend.  Recognize when you are tired and get some sleep!
  
  
• Be responsible!  When you're relieving the stress of the holidays, remember not to overindulge in drinking or other substance abuse.  There is nothing quicker to ruin the holidays than killing yourself or someone else by drinking and driving.  Besides, don't you want to remember the memories that you are making this holiday?
  
  
• Share yourself!  You might think that you are already overextended so how can you add another task to the list.  It doesn't need to take a lot of time, but doing something nice for a friend, family member, neighbor, or stranger will go a long way to making you happy.  When we take the focus off of ourselves and place it on someone else miraculous things happen.  The Law of Attraction states that anything we give our attention, focus, and energy to, whether it is positive or negative, we get more of.  When we give to others selflessly, we receive back so much more than we put out.
  
  
• Ignore media portrayals of the holidays!  If you're depressed because your holiday celebration doesn't look like the happy ones shown on TV remind yourself that those celebrations are an illusion.  TV advertisers and network executives want us to think that our holidays are supposed to look like that.  They're not!  It's not a true representation of our multicultural society these days where we have different beliefs, traditions, and faith practices.  Celebrate the uniqueness of YOUR holiday.
  
  
• Laugh!  Take plenty of laughter breaks.  Nothing cheers up a frazzled spirit like a good belly laugh.  Laughter releases endorphins and other feel good hormones into the bloodstream and makes us feel more cheerful naturally.  If you need some help with this watch some funny movies, read some funny books, or just watch a child for a few hours.  They laugh a lot more than we do.
  
  
• Be grateful!  There is no better way to demonstrate your gratitude than with a gratitude journal.  This is a list of things you are grateful for that you keep adding to.  The holidays are a perfect time to start one because we naturally feel blessed by spending time with family and friends.  Adding to your gratitude journal and reading the list frequently will help relieve stress and put the holidays into perspective.  It really is about the memories that we make and not the things we do or buy.
  
  
• Bask in the light!  With the dark days of Winter approaching, light is more important than ever.  The holidays are festivals of light.  Most towns and cities will have a tree lighting celebration in one of the parks.  There will be candlelight religious ceremonies in churches, synagogues, mosques, and other places of worship.  Homes will be decorated with lights.  Even the malls will have all their lights on as they stay open later to accommodate holiday shoppers.  Find the light and bask in its warm glow.

Above all else, when you are celebrating the season remember to celebrate YOU.  You are a gift.  There is no one else like you in the world.  You are a perfect being filled with love, light, laughter, and possibilities.  Give yourself a big hug and say "I love you!" to yourself.  You deserve it.

Happy holidays!

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