Ok if your like most of us, you are busy running around trying to get everything done in a short amount of time before and during the holidays. This can lead to holiday stress burnout so its important to remember some simple ways you can take care of what you need to do, and also take care of you. Notice that I use the word simple a lot? It’s because it helps to relieve stress. When dealing with a stressful situation such as a holiday, think to yourself how can I make this simple? The following are some suggestions:


1. Make lists of everything you need to do, to buy, to go, to see. Make several lists if you have to, and keep them together in one central place. You can also just work with one big list. Try the list writing out and see what system works best for you. Remember lists relieve mental stress and help you sleep better at night because you wont be up worrying about what you have to do. When its down on paper, you can let it go off your mind and this can help you relax finally.

2. Go to sleep early and take a nap everyday to give your body, mind and spirit the rest it needs. This is good advice for the stressful holidays and for always. Sleep is healing, and time spent resting is an investment that will help you be more productive.

3. When it comes to gift giving, keep it simple. I personally believe gift cards are the greatest invention ever. Not only do they make the gift recipient happy because they can buy whatever they really want, but giving a gift card can save the exhausted gift giver the stress of trying to mind read and find that perfect gift. Being perfect is not humanly possible, and giving the perfect gift is also not possible I believe. Why not make it easy for yourself, and at the same time take a chance at making someone really happy?

4. Keep in mind what is really important this holiday season. I passed a church that had a sign up that read” Keep the Christ in Christmas”. As I turned the corner, I thought to myself, I don't do that, but I should really. The next time you are sweating and exhausted at the mall, keep this phrase in mind and repeat it to yourself until it sinks in. It's not the craziness, the gifts, the rushing around, the stress, the things in your life that are not right. All of these things seem to snowball, and come to a head at this time of year all at once. Look past that, and realize it’s a time for celebrating Christ’s Birthday, and for cherishing time spent with love ones. That’s really what is important. In years to come what will your children remember? You want them to have warm memories of their family spending some moments together. Even if things aren’t perfect, and your family isn’t the most loving or bearable for that matter. Im speaking from experience here LOL, and for that matter who's family is all that loving or bearable? I dont know of anyone who's family is loving or bearable honestly, and that my friend is funny. Now I understand why people drink so much during the holidays, it's to deal with ones family of course. Seriously, I never advise drinking as a coping mechanism, and I rarely drink. Im just being honest, when I say I understand drinking sometimes. Just keep in mind what really the point of it all is. We only have a short time on this earth, make it a good time. And remember perfection is a myth, it doesn’t exist. We are all just human beings trying to make it through life, all with our own individual struggles. It helps also to remember this when dealing with relatives that are real winners. That's what I like to tell myself.

4. Do something you like to do. Get a massage, get your feet and nails done, take a relaxing walk, or buy yourself a small gift you always wanted. The holidays don’t have to be about overdoing things you don’t want to do. What you want to do is equally as important as showing up at aunt Sally’s xmas morning. Remember to take care of yourself, and do what makes you feel good. That is one of the true meanings of a holiday, and it can help you enjoy holiday time even more.

Best wishes for a happy and healthy holiday season !