Stress at Christmas - 5 Strategies for navigating Xmas cheer.
Christmas is coming, and the Xmas stress is building
The festive cheer begins earlier each year.
Did you stumble upon a chocolate Santa in August? A bit premature, even for the most dedicated Christmas enthusiasts like me.
While I absolutely adore the festive spirit, let's be honest—it's not all sugarplums and candy canes. Christmas brings social events that thrust us into gatherings we might not eagerly anticipate. Whether it's seeing distant relatives, old friends, or those acquaintances you'd rather avoid, it can get overwhelming. If you're hosting, there's the added pressure of creating the perfect Christmas with impeccable presents and a feast fit for royalty. It's enough to make even Santa feel a touch of stress at Christmas.
Stress is that unwelcome guest that shows up when you're under pressure
Whether it is self-imposed or from external sources, too much stress can lead to anxiety, depression, insomnia, headaches, and more.
That's without the financial worries about gifts, food, and social outings. You have the struggle to maintain healthy habits during a season of indulgence.
I mean, at Christmas time, it's acceptable to eat candy canes for breakfast isn't it?
It all contributes to the holiday stress cocktail. And I don't mean the chocolate, vodka, baileys concoction that you have so lovingly whipped up.
So, I have updated my Christmas Stress Survival Guide from 2015 with some new perspectives, and current tricks to help you rock Christmas in a way Mrs Claus would envy.
#1 PLAN
Yes, it was number one then and it is still #1 now. Why?
BECAUSE... when you have a plan you have an idea of what you want to happen.
I still love a list and stand by that. There is nothing more satisfying than ticking off things from the list. (Am I the only one who adds things to a list when I have done them just to tick it off??? It happens people.)
Grab yourself a festive pad and consider who you have gotta buy gifts for. What
Setting Goals In A Way That Your Brain Wants You To Succeed
So when you are setting your goal instead of saying I don’t want to be fat anymore, I don’t want to be so flustered, I don’t want people to think I'm silly if I speak up in a meeting, What is it that you want to have there instead?
So no, not I don’t want to be fat anymore, I want to be healthy.
No, not I don’t want to be flustered all the time, it's I want to feel calm and in control.
Instead of I don’t want people to think that I'm foolish if I speak up in a meeting, how about, I have experience and knowledge that I can share?
Remember that fear that you are not good enough, you’re an imposter is from that old programming, doesn’t mean it's fact.
You might not like this, but you have to pay attention to the thing that you want to move away from in order to change it. So I have a super short template that you can use to help you work through that thought pattern so that you can stop thinking negatively and flip it so that you know where you want that thought to go. With intention, deliberately. Get my 'Flip Your Thoughts' template to stop negative thinking in your inbox.
If this has been useful for you, and check out the next video – part 2 of setting yourself up for success where I talk about what to do in order to start actioning the thought to achieve the goal.. 3 simple ways to get yourself to start a new habit
Flip Your Thoughts - Stop Thinking Negatively
Use this free download to help you work through changing those thoughts. Flip that frown upside down.
