The holidays are coming—they are fast upon us. For many – if not most people – it is important to prepare mentally, physically, and emotionally to avoid stress and maximize your holiday time as a time of connection, relaxation, renewal, and celebration. Here are six suggestions we believe will help you do that:
- Only travel when, where, and how you feel safe. Don’t allow yourself to be pressured—have boundaries! First of all, be safe. Secondly, don’t do something that might raise your anxiety level before you even get to the destination. Thirdly, choose where you are going wisely.
- Remember your boundaries once you do arrive where you will be celebrating. Boundaries might apply to how much and what you eat and drink, how much you speak with whom, when you retire for the evening…
- If Aunt Sally or Uncle Joe pushes your buttons or triggers you, give “social distancing” a whole new meaning and keep your distance. There will be other people there with whom you will want to reconnect and enjoy their company.
- Remember to do all of the things you always do to take care of yourself. If you exercise every day, or meditate, or journal, be sure you carve out the time to do the things that keep you healthy and “sane.”
- Be grateful. Be grateful for what options you have, people in your life, your work, nature, music…the things that you find rewarding.
- Avoid the regret of over-consumption. Consider increasing the exercise you do during holiday time. Plan how many and what treats you will allow yourself each day (complete denial of pleasure never works). Especially, be careful about intake of any substance that might lower your inhibitions around family/friends. You might gain a pound or three. Accept it. Plan to work on it as soon as you return to your normal habitat and routine.
- Manage workplace issues so that you and your team have happy holidays. See HBR article “Holidays Can Be Stressful. They Don’t Have to Stress Out Your Team.”
- Start setting intentions for 2022. Be in the present and ponder between now and the end of the year what you want in your life.
We are grateful to have a relationship with you and wish you joy, fun, and relaxation for the holidays. Enjoy the journey.
What do you need to do to take care of yourself and your team pre-holiday? How can you ensure your holidays will be pleasurable and rejuvenating?
