Holiday stress is no joke.
Considering that 1 out of 3 Americans is already on an anti-anxiety or antidepressant medication that makes holiday stress even worse. Ever notice how many people get sick right after the holidays are over?
But if we want to gain ground on the chronic illness that burdens us or stay ahead of the lifestyle-related or autoimmune diseases that are consuming our population, we absolutely must get a handle on how we respond to the s-word.
Our physical stress is typically manifested from the emotions we feel that encourage the thoughts that we think. This is precisely why I have included a special section on managing your mindset in my Whole Health Holiday Survival Guide.
But I wanted to share three great methods to help you manage your mindset for a healthier holiday season starting with Thanksgiving next week.
You can find more of these and a whole slew of other resources in my Whole Health Holiday Survival Guide.
Prioritize properly.
You never find the time but rather you make the time for the things that are important. And your health is very important so prioritize resting, eating, cooking, moving, sleeping, and just being still and in the present moment to ensure that the important rocks are set in place before you spend time looking for Christmas ideas on Pinterest. If your Christmas list is too lengthy for you to tackle, ask for help or keep things simple with gift cards! No gift receiver on your list wants you to be stressed in order to get them a gift.
When you foul up, ditch the “guilt” and move on.
You are going to fail. Yep, you are going to fail. That is how we learn. When you mess up, don’t wallow in self-pity, guilt, and the false ideas that you just can’t do it. You see, guilt is not a feeling. You are either guilty or not guilty. The “feeling” we often express as guilt is actually shaming. And shame does not serve you, your health, your goals, or your life in any good way, shape, or form. In fact, it actually holds you back as this invisible ball and chain keeping you from moving forward.
Breathe.
Carve out a couple of minutes daily to restore healthy breathing patterns. Your breathing patterns reveal so much of what is going on in your mind and body. Not only will this regular practice of 5-30 minutes daily make you more aware of your stress and how it affects your breathing but practicing breathwork consistently will do wonders for your health. Take the stumble for what it was, learn from it, and move on! If last night you drank yourself into a stooper and ate everything in the pantry well then make today’s breakfast (assuming you even want it) the best and healthiest one ever and definitely drink one of my Hangover Helpers found in my Whole Health Holiday Survival Guide. I’m not saying go ahead and fail and it’s okay, but don’t use it to dig the hole that you fell into any deeper. Try your best to make the next right decision.
I wish you a safe, healthy, and fantastic holiday season!
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