Here’s How I Deal with Holiday Stress

I don’t know about you, but I feel the holiday stress. It’s not necessarily the holiday parties or the excessive spending, but it’s the compounding overwhelm that all the little things bring on when they add up. More responsibilities, more things on the dreaded “to-do” list, and even sometimes more FUN can be overwhelming (hi, I’m an introvert apparently).

I LOVE all things Christmas, but the holiday stress is real. I mean I’m easily overwhelmed even when it’s NOT the holidays so…

This time, more than ever, I HAVE to prioritize my wellbeing. Yes, that looks different for everybody so I’m not here to tell you what YOU SHOULD be doing. Rather I’m giving you a glimpse into how I plan my days so that I can still feel awesome during the holidays. 

If you’re like me then you probably experience a wide range of emotions this time of year.  These can go from  “I cannot make small talk with another one of my husband’s co-workers while sipping on cheap wine out of a plastic cup, in a room with fluorescent lighting, get me the F outta here right meow!” All the way to “Yes I’m CRYING at Love Actually, even though I’ve seen it 50 times!…it’s just so moving!” 

Girl, it’s totally ok. You’re normal, you’re fine…”To me, you’re perfect.” Sorry HAD TO!

It’s incredibly common to experience heightened stress and anxiety during the holidays, even if you’re someone who doesn’t normally have much anxiety.

Here’s How I Deal With Holiday Stress:

I take time for myself. 

Not just because I happen to have an afternoon free, but I purposefully make sure there’s time in my day when I am alone. Spending time with people, no matter how wonderful they are, can be draining for sensitive people and introverts. You can do whatever you want with this time, but the idea is being ALONE, and preferably quiet at some point, every day.

I simplify the gift giving. 

Part of the overwhelm around christmas is the extensive time and mental energy we give to gift giving. I love the idea of giving gifts, but we don’t need to make it such a time suck.

Look at how much time (either driving, shopping, or online browsing) that you’ve dedicated to holiday shopping. Ask yourself what you can do differently to simplify it. Ask the people you love to send you some links to things they want. That way they don’t know what you’ve gotten them, but you know it’s what they want, and you didn’t spend hours driving from store to store (cuz that’s just the worst!)

I’m extra mindful about how much alcohol I have. 

Most of the year we drink a normal amount of alcohol and we don’t really need to monitor ourselves. But, this time of year we drink much more frequently without realizing it. For example most of the year I will have about 3-4 drinks per week, but during the holidays the parties and get togethers add up without us realizing it. 

Alcohol consumption always increases my anxiety the next day, so I have to be especially mindful of not drinking more than I normally would. So, you can still enjoy a nice holiday beverage, just in a more mindful way

I practice grounding rituals.

Ok the word ritual might throw some people off but hear me out. We spend so much time in motion and in our heads. Always on the go, always thinking of the next thing. Over time that energy can totally drain us. A grounding ritual can be anything that makes you feel connected, strong, peaceful, still, in your body, and takes you out of that tailspin feeling. 

I hope these are helpful and easy to implement this holiday season. Leave a comment and let me know what you do to stay sane this time of year!

xo,