If you're anything like me, you're both excited and nervous about the start of the holiday season. The holiday season is well known for being a joyful time of year.
However, it is easy to get caught up in the excitement and end up exhausted at the end of the festive period. The hustle and bustle of back-to-back holidays can be exhausting. There is an increase in the number of people moving around, events to attend, and shopping.
As a result of this realization, we've come up with three activities that will help you relax and enjoy the season. This year, let's commit to making the holidays less stressful.
Set Boundaries for a Stress-Free Holiday Season
Given how many events happen during the holidays, it might be helpful to come up with a way to figure out which ones you can go to without overbooking yourself or feeling too busy. Everyone has an image of how they want to spend the holidays. However, it is easy to agree to non-priority items without a solid plan.
Pose questions to yourself that will bring you closer to your holiday objectives. This is an excellent method for setting boundaries. You can start by answering the questions below.
What/Who are my priorities this season?
What is the one thing I want to accomplish this holiday season?
Should I create a spending cap for presents?
Do I want to travel or stay close to home?
How many events can I attend before becoming overwhelmed?
For example, if you are looking forward to an event, make it a priority. Whatever your priorities are, write them down and display them prominently. When deciding how to spend your free time, consider whether it supports your goals for the season.
Create a Nighttime Routine to Reduce Stress
The need for a nighttime routine is similar to the idea of setting a boundary. Many of us have a morning routine because it sets the tone for the rest of the day. Most of the time, we don't think of a nighttime routine having the same effect. Having a routine at night is very important to your success the next day. Like a morning routine, a nighttime routine is more than just brushing your teeth and washing your face.
The goal of the nighttime routine is to help you relax and get ready for the next day.
However, because everyone has a different way of destressing, below are some ideas to get you started. Make sure your routine works for you and is easy to follow.
Once you know which items help you sleep well, you can put them on a schedule or set a timer to remind you to do them every night. As with the boundaries, this tip requires personal commitment.
Reviving an old Hobby
The holiday season is an excellent time to resurrect an old hobby. We sometimes grow out of a hobby or become so busy that we no longer have time to enjoy it. Whether you like sewing, reading, or karaoke, now is the time to get back into it. Perhaps you enjoy composing music or have an instrument gathering dust.
Old hobbies don't require a significant learning curve compared to new hobbies. Furthermore, we may not be as good at the hobby as we once were, which means that it is challenging enough to keep us engaged but not so complex that we will lose interest.
When we participate in old hobbies, they bring back memories of other activities we once enjoyed but no longer have the time to do. Ultimately providing an opportunity for us to consider our priorities beyond the holiday season. I've considered taking up macramé, a skill I learned many years ago. I'm interested to see how much I remember.
Whatever you choose to revive, make sure it's not stressful and takes up enough time for you to have fun. We may need to think outside the box this holiday season, and reconnecting with an old hobby is an excellent place to start.
You may have noticed that each of these activities requires a time commitment from you, and yes, this was done intentionally. The holidays are some of our favorite times of the year, but there are a lot of tasks, events, deadlines, and travel during this time. The first thing that tends to get neglected is you. By the end of the holiday season, we'll be glad we slowed down to make lasting memories.
What does this have to do with your words?
With stress increasing during the holiday season, it is easy to imagine how our words can get away from us. Relationship dynamics, pleasing people, and losing sight of the true purpose of the holiday season will bring about a high level of agitation. Because of this, there can be a lot of offenses, fights, and splits during the holidays. When our goal is to sow good seeds, we must be mindful of situations that would prevent that from happening.
Holiday Blessings
Our best wishes are with you this holiday season. May the Holy Spirit rest peacefully within you, comforting and leading you in the direction you should go. May obedience, wisdom, and understanding be your guide. I wish you the ability to appreciate the present while also drawing wisdom from your past. May perspective and context pepper your speech. And may the people you meet along the journey always find something in your words that will inspire them and change their lives for the better.
As always,
Plant a Good Word
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