The
Holiday Season is upon us, and with it comes stress. Here are my tips
for happy holidays and high quality of life every other day, too:
Start with a positive attitude
I think a positive attitude is the best tool to enhance every day. Winston Churchill agreed: "Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference." We all have control over our own attitude. We may as well take advantage of it by having a good one.
Be grateful
Sometimes it's difficult, but you may have to look in a different way or a different direction. Be grateful for friends and family, for opportunities that are yet to be and for memories or dreams.
Practice Relaxation
To start each day, add three deep breaths to your morning routine. Not quick gasps, but slow deep, full breaths.
Practice Moderation
Dinner,
Gifts, Parties -- You know where you can cut back and where you cannot.
Choose what you can do and want to do, and do it with gusto.
Include yourself on the gift list
This
can cost much or little, or nothing at all. It can be time for
yourself, a trinket that makes you smile, or that special something you
always wanted. It can even be a massage that will help you relax during
this stressful time.
Smile and Enjoy the Spirit of the Season
The spirit of the season is what you want it to be. Festive music, laughing children, joy to the world. Enjoy it.
Stress
that comes with holidays is not healthy. It's often a trigger for
chronic conditions to flare. I know it is for MS. I have been through
this before. Apparently there are three main trigger points for holiday
stress: Relationships, Finances and Physical Demands. The Mayo Clinic
offers 12 tips for coping with the holiday stress. Mayo Clinic's tactical tips are good for these days, and they are good for the rest of the year, too.
According to the American Institute of Stress,
stress is America's Number One health problem. Wow, and that's not just
around the holidays. During any given week, 110 million Americans take
some kind of stress-relieving medication. During the holiday season
that includes the big three of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's,
we all need help regardless of any disability status.
Holiday Stress Survival Tips offers more general tips than the Mayo Clinic article, including a massage! How clever.
The
survival article has tips that could benefit our every day lives. The
writer recommends paying attention to good nutrition, such as reducing
fat and sugar. Even people who normally eat a healthy diet may have
difficulty during the holidays. The season begins with a giant feast,
lots of rich dishes followed by dessert after dessert. Then it
continues with parties, preparations, and errands, climaxing with the
big event. But it is not over until the final blow out that signifies
we can start a new year.
Many of these activities involve food
and drink beyond our normal habits, and they occur just when we have
less time and energy to devote to regular eating habits. The holiday
season is a recipe for stress overload. We must survive the stress in
order to really enjoy the holidays?
I like the fact that the survival article list begins with my favorite tip of all: "Have a positive attitude."
Peace and Joy to the World.
Notes:
Dr. Shaler's Breathing Exercise
Free Breathing Practices
Importance of Breathing Right
Dumb Little Man - Tips for Life
This site often has interesting stories or tips. Here are some about stress. --
Disaboomer Betty Boop started a discussion on Holiday Stress?
Filed under: Vicki's MS Path, disability, disaboom, tips, Vicki, quality of life, positive attitude, joy of life, holidays, holiday season, stress, holiday stress
