DeStress Your Holiday

For today’s post, I’m going off script from the prompt.  With Christmas and Kwanzaa and Hanukkah and New Years only a few days away, I thought I would share some of my “DeStress Your Holiday Tips”. Some are serious…others a bit tongue in cheek or maybe just cheeky! LOL!!   All are shared from my Heart and they are actions that I take in real life whenever I’m feeling stressed.

 

Keep The Joy!

Find a bit of joy — that’s what this season is about.  It’s about hope and light and Wear a silly shirt.  I wear my Antlers on Zoom calls during December.  And I make sure that I am in good lighting so everyone can see the Fabulous Aunt Carole in her antlers.

 

Reach Out and Touch….

Use your phone for its original purpose.  Call one person who makes you laugh!!  Pick someone you share great memories with of past times together.  For me, that list includes my Cousin P. and my 3 dear Sisters.  Don’t email.  CALL!!!!! Those warm voices will lift your spirit and change your Brain chemistry for the better.

For those of you who don’t recognize the graphic, it’s an old style push button land line phone. LOL!!!

Go Walk Outside!

Take a 15 minute walk outdoors.  No destination…..Sometimes I play soft music.  Sometimes, I walk in silence and meditate a little.  Sometimes, I look for small things to photograph with my phone.  I walk at a slow pace.

If I’m playing a favorite song, you might even hear me singing along.  That sentence may have caused someof you to feel stressed as you thought “Oh, what if someone hears me…”  or “Oh, my voice is too terrible…”  My advice is GET OVER YOURSELF.  Like the wonderful line from Schitt’s Creek….NO ONE CARES!!  So sing out loud!! and Smile if you see someone watching.  They’re just envious of your freedom to be yourself.

Stop Shopping Right Now

This is radical.  You’ve probably already ordered or bought gifts for the really important people in your life.  So just stop.  Buy a box of holiday cards and send a card to the rest of the list.  And next year, cut your list down to the Essential People only.  Financial stress is a major cause of holiday depression.  Just STOP!

 

 

Remember to Celebrate Yourself

Here’s a list of affirmations that I repeat to myself.  Maybe create your own affirmations and write them down.  You don’t need a fancy journal–the back of an envelope will do just fine.  But there’s something magical about writing down your affirmations in your own handwriting.  Try it!

A Short List of More Ideas

 

• LOOK AT THE LIGHTS! If your neighbors have holiday lights up, go for a walk or drive to look at them.  Just OOOOHHH….and WOW and soak in the lights.  Notice and silence any envy or feelings that your house isn’t as pretty.  Don’t let being in the moment steal your joy.
• WATCH A FAVORITE MOVIE. Of course, this time of year, I have to watch ELF at least once. And The Grinch [the animated one…] With a glass of eggnog or wine at hand.  If I’m really not feeling like a holiday movie, then I find Silverado [it’s a Western] or Denzel Washington’s Magnificent 7.  Or Bruce Willis and Mos Def [Yasiin Bey] in the fabulous 16 Blocks.
• AVOID PERFECT CHRISTMAS MOVIES FROM HALLMARK, ETC. Those movies are guaranteed to depress you because everything and everyone in them is so damn perfect and unreal.   Avoid them…unless you are the exception and they actually cheer you up.
• TAKE QUIET MOMENTS IN QUIET PLACES.

• ASK FOR HELP. Stop being a hero and let others do stuff for you.  Better yet, ask them if that ‘thing’ actually needs to be done? Maybe ‘No One Cares’.

Peace and wishes for a less stressed holiday season,

Carole