Roberta Macdonald » Holiday Stress http://robertamacdonald.com/blog Anger and Stress Management Tue, 15 Jun 2010 17:02:14 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Stress During the Holidays http://robertamacdonald.com/blog/2009/10/27/stress-during-the-holidays/ http://robertamacdonald.com/blog/2009/10/27/stress-during-the-holidays/#comments Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:49:40 +0000 admin http://robertamacdonald.com/blog/?p=11 We tend to wait until the middle of November to think about all of the many “things to do” around Thanksgiving, Christmas or Hanukkah.  We never mean to do it but we have a hard time putting extra “to dos” in our already busy schedule…do we not?  So…the stress starts to build…as early as… NOW.

So NOW (before we are eating our Thanksgiving meal)… NOW is the time to think about how we can make it easier on us this year….2009…a new pattern of behavior which will be a blessing and benefit to you and yours.

Here are some ways to bless and benefit yourself during the Holidays:

(1)  Before you commit to the big meal where you tend to do EVERYTHING and you find resentment has built up over the years but you don’t know how to get out of your obligatory role…say no this year or ask for assistance by delegating. What a concept…delegating!

(2) Have a Holiday Plan starting NOW:  Plan out the next two months and divide the chores, events, activities in smaller “pieces”.  Put YOU into your daily plan and make sure you are able to enjoy YOU as you “do” your life.

(3) Ask yourself: “Why do I take on so much each year? Here are some possible reasons you might want to explore:

* Everyone expects me to…they can count on me.

* I know that I really do it better than anyone else.

* We have family traditions…I can’t change them.

* What would they say if  I changed it?

(4) Ponder this:  The very best thing you can do for the whole world is to make the most of yourself and that may mean saying  no to others so that the very best you can happen. You are then better able to give without resentment.

More to come on this subject. I welcome your questions and comments.

-Roberta

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