MIND
Relieving Holiday Stress
The winter holiday season can be as stressful as it is joyful. Financial pressures combine with hectic schedules and family interactions with sometimes chaotic results. Working with an appropriate and trusted professional can help relieve the stress. Picture creating holiday traditions that fit your budget, your schedule and include quality time with loved ones! Creative visualization can be an effective tool to changing your life. Try this simple exercise:
Close your eyes. Bring to mind a happy holiday memory. Who is with you? These are people who are important to you. Find ways to include them in your holiday plans, even if they are far away. Try a conference call or exchange a few photos from the last year with each of them. Where are you? If you enjoy the outdoors, why not hike and picnic on Thanksgiving! If you love the comfort of home, how about hosting a potluck party? Prefer to be pampered? Make reservations at a favorite casual restaurant for your loved ones. What are you doing? Some families play board games or hide and go seek. Organized activities may minimize stress between family members who tend to argue.
Notice that in this exercise, you probably weren’t in line at the mall with heavy bags of last-minute presents weighing you down. Use your vision as a reminder of your priorities and make decisions accordingly.
