Staying Sane Through the Holiday Season

Tis’ the season for falling into chaos in the name of making the most out of our holiday season. The ups and downs of celebrating and attempting to plan everything to a T are symbolic of life itself; It’s a time of both ending and renewal. It’s wonderful yet stressful.

How do we manage the constant flux? How do we make the best attempt to get everything done? We know that planning doesn’t always make perfect, but it does make prepared. Check out these guidelines on how to keep your sanity as the holidays arrive.

Let Go of Expectations

Expectations are one of the surest ways to create vulnerability during the holiday season. We try to manage every little detail in hopes that it will turn out just as it’s “supposed” to. If you’re already on edge and endured a few months of the holiday madness, you’re likely to be more disappointed if something small doesn’t go quite right.

Letting go of expectations can be surprisingly fun. Think about it; if you don’t have this picture-perfect scenario in mind, the possibilities are open. You’re not experiencing limiting or condemning thoughts concerning what “should have been.”

Be Kind

All around, be kind. Spread kindness. It has many health benefits. Be kind to the woman who stole your shopping cart full of items. Be kind to the guy who cut you off in traffic, trying to make it to the mall last minute. Be kind to the family member that says all the wrong things at dinner. Most importantly, be kind to yourself. Practicing kindness can do a lot for your stress.

Just as dropping expectations of how things should be, drop them off yourself, it doesn’t mean you need to wing the holidays and throw caution to the wind when it comes to planning; instead, just let go of what doesn’t work.

Plan Ahead

One of the best ways to lessen stress concerning the holidays is to plan everything, when possible. Try not to procrastinate if you know that you’d like to have certain people over or a certain dish for dinner. Planning is the flip side to letting go of expectations. It allows you to have your own back and not throw caution to the wind entirely concerning letting go of expectations.

Share a Digital Calendar

If you have some pretty awesome people in your life who aren’t as awesome with remembering dates, times, or addresses, this is a must. This promotes the idea of planning, and it’s a fantastic way to do it while informing everyone without coming off as pushy. Create a digital calendar where you can send invites, and people can reference anything they forget. That way, everyone has it in writing and accessible.

Drink Extra Water

Drinking an adequate amount of water regularly is essential for overall health, but it’s even more necessary during the holidays. With fluctuations in our schedules, and all of the delicious goodies to consume, our bodies can be thrown off very easily from the holidays.

Take care of yourself by loading up on extra H20. This will help to flush out all of the extra sodium and sugar that accompanies scrumptious holiday recipes. Have trouble getting your water in as it is, though? Browse through these water hacks to get it done.

Practice Gratitude

Whatever ails you about the season, remember one thing: to be GR8FUL. It is something to arrive at yet another holiday season. Doing so with grace and gratitude will enable you to spread your highest vibration, and may even help to raise the spirits of those around you. Not to mention, it can genuinely improve your view on life. Take some time to reflect on what you have that you’re grateful for and relish in it.

Keeping your head from spinning from the holiday twinkle can be daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. Take matters into your own hands for what you can, and drop whatever falls from your grasp. You’re on your way to another holiday season, and it’s going to be GR8 one.