The busy holiday season is upon us. Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years are all within sight, and coming in quick. dinners are a time of being thankful for family, friends, and all the blessings we can count. Yet with all the planning, traveling and busyness, it can be easier to get stressed out than it is to be thankful. Planning dinner, gifts, travel plans and still trying to juggle our already busy lives with work, school or whatever else is going on can be a lot on your plate. Here are a few ways you can make sure you are thankful and not stressed this holiday season.
- Start thankful
Starting your morning thankful is a great way to set the mood for the day. No matter where you are in life, thankfulness can be expressed. Instead of checking your emails or phone, let your day start by journaling, doing yoga, or listing the things you are thankful for. As the stresses of the day come in the form of traffic, emails, unpleasant coworkers, or your barista messing up your latte, remember the things you are thankful for, and focus on those things instead.
2. Plan Ahead
Even the most thankful heart can get stressed if there is chaos. Setting your days and priorities in order using a planner, app or a simple to do list can help you organize what is important, what is not, and when is the best time to get everything done. Writing everything down on paper can help you visualize all that is to be done, and help you feel less overwhelmed and be more productive.
3. Take a break
Sometimes when we are so busy, we feel like we have no time at all to rest or take a break. Allow yourself 30 minutes during your day to take a break from the chaos by taking a nap, doing yoga, going for a walk, or reading a book you’ve been interested in. Allowing your mind to do things other than what you have to can help you refocus on what matters to you, feel less stressed, and be thankful for what you have.
4. Talk about it
A great way to prove to yourself and others that you are truly thankful, and not stressed out is by speaking it out loud. Speaking of the things that you are thankful for, instead of complaining about the things you are stressed out about can really affect your mood and your relationships and reaffirm good thoughts.
What do you think?