Have a Holiday Free of Anxiety
Family can be a source of stress, and if this resonates with you, read on.
This is the time of year when there is a great deal of pressure to have a wonderful time with family and friends. Anytime there is pressure or expectations it causes stress since we can’t control the outcome. Stress will cause an increase in anxiety. Even getting together with your family can create turmoil and conflict. The desire to have a great time and make everything perfect is also part of the problem. The unrealistic expectations triggered by watching TV or movies about the “perfect” holiday season make people feel unsuccessful if they don’t have one.
How can we change this mindset and enjoy ourselves with less stress and anxiety?
- First, it is important to remember what we are celebrating. Get back to basics by reconnecting with the holiday’s meaning.
- Stop watching TV and movies that make you feel “less than” and depressed.
- Help someone else by giving to those less fortunate or by joining an organized charitable endeavor. Helping others will make you feel better about your situation in life.
- Get out in nature. This time of year, it is harder to motivate ourselves to get outside, but nature will get us back in touch with what is important.
- Meditation and self-hypnosis are wonderful tools for calming the mind and fostering more positive brain chemistry.
- Feel some compassion. In scientific studies, feeling compassion gives positive brain chemistry to the person feeling compassion for someone else.
- Eat less. Overeating this time of year usually involves too much sugar, which will set you up for a crash. Blood sugar swings are a significant cause of anxiety.
- Get enough sleep since sleep deprivation causes all sorts of problems, including anxiety.
- Choose happiness. The fact is, we can choose to change how we think and what we focus on.
And if you are still having a bad day, remember this: “The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitude”. William James
