Zen Tip #2 - Managing Holiday Stress and Anxiety

Do the holidays make you anxious? Sometimes we put way too much pressure on ourselves to be perfect, and it doesn't pay. If you find the holiday's stressful, it may be time to re-examine what the holidays really mean for you.

If you have high expectations to create the perfect holiday experience, and you don't have enough time or energy to do so, then you may need to lower your expectations and cut back on how you spend your time and money.

There is a connection between stress and illness, so the more stress you bring on, the more chance you have of getting sick. Reducing stress can also help you:

• Reduce the chance for a heart attack.
• Reduce anxiety.
• Reduce pain.
• Help you enjoy the holiday's more.

The holiday season brings with it immense joy, but it can also bring stress and anxiety if you aren't careful. Most people have a dizzying list of demands they must meet, in order to squeeze everything in. From hosting family parties to baking and cleaning and gift shopping, it can be overwhelming for anyone.

One of the best things you can do is to take a step back and be realistic. The holidays are not about achieving perfection. It's OK to take some short cuts or cut back on the number of gifts you buy or the number of parties you attend. If you have traditions in place but just find that you can't make time for them, then you can create new traditions.

As families change and grow, the rituals and traditions must also change and grow. You can choose a few very special traditions to hold onto and then create new ones. If you normally fix the entire holiday meal, and it's just too much with everything else you have going on, then you can ask people to bring their own side dish. There is nothing wrong with asking people to bring the rolls, or the salad or the desert and most people will be happy to oblige; doing this will allow you to focus solely on the main ingredient, whatever that may be, and it takes the pressure off of you having to do everything.

The same thing can be done with gift giving amongst extended family members. If your extended family has grown and you just can't keep up financially with the number of gifts, you can choose to purchase gifts for children only, and tell people not to buy anything for you.

Part of managing holiday stress also entails learning to say NO. You don't have to attend every party or get involved in every activity. Learn to say no and prioritize your time so that you can save your energy for those things that are truly important.

If you have to you can even purchase a pre-cooked holiday meal from your local grocery store or go out to dinner. It's also important to remember to make time for yourself and to give yourself and your family a night off if things get too stressful. You can take a bath, see a movie or just drive around and look at holiday displays, whatever it takes to calm and relax you.

The holidays are meant to be a time filled with love and joy, and the real beauty of the season is spending time with those you love. No amount of money can buy that, no matter what people say.