Coaching Tip #2 - Enjoying the holidays

[Beth]

Hi everyone :wave:

This time of year stress levels are even higher than usual. Even if you don't feel stress, it's all around you. You can't always avoid the stressful environment but you can choose the way you react to it. It's about controlling your thoughts and keeping positive. You don't need to get caught up in the hustle and bustle.

Here are a few things you can do to minimize the stress in your life and enjoy the holidays:

1. Make a conscious effort to only do the things you want to do. Maybe you need to say no to a relative who wants you to visit. Maybe you don't make all the cookies you usually make, what if you cut back?

2. Take time for yourself every day! The 10 minute walk you take at lunch or the time you take for meditation or a relaxing bath is even more critical than ever.

3. Don't try to achieve any big goals! I know that sounds funny coming from a life coach.:laff2: But it's important that you recognize that this is not the optimal time for you to try to lose 5 more lbs. or fit in an extra day of exercise. Look at the next few weeks as a "maintenance" period and know that you'll get back to aggressively pursuing your goals in early January.

I wish you all the happiest of holidays with families and friends. May all your goals be realized in 2007! I look forward to helping you listen to your soul's wisdom and discover what you are here to do in this lifetime. :hearts:

Blessings always,

Beth

[Beth]

I would love for you to share your thoughts on this topic. We all learn and grow so much from this wonderful community of "Friends"!:clap:

Are you going to try any of these suggestions? What helps you to minimize your stress and enjoy the holidays?

[Paula Mae]

Well Beth,

I already said no the cookie exchange because it was going to be to difficult. Normally I would have gone for it and then beat myself up in the middle of the week trying to make 6-8 dozen cookies after working 10 hours. Plus what the heck am I as a single person gonna do with all the cookies!!

I am also making a concentrated effort to take an hour each night to meditate and study/read through things to help with my spiritual growth. The weekends are tough but I allow myself to "miss" those nights if I am to busy, knowing I will have 5 solid days during the week.

Paula

[Gail]

I said no this year to a tradition that has been going on in my house for 15 years. It was a two person job. I didn't make any Buckeye candies this year.

It takes me more than two hours to roll the large mass of peanut butter/butter/powdered sugar into small balls. Several hundred of them. After they have chilled overnight, it takes me 1 1/2 hours to dip each ball most of the way into melted chocolate.

Everyone LOVES them, everyone wants the recipe but, no one ever makes them. :( They expect me to do it again and hand them out. The bad thing is I munch on the extremely fatty, high calorie balls as I make them. They are delicious and addictive.

My holiday will be healthier and more fun without them. :) My friends won't blame me for the extra weight they gained from eating a whole bag of candy.

[Pam]

I decided this year that I don't have to have "the perfect Christmas tree" as well as not having to use every decoration that I own. My son and husband decorated the tree together while I cooked dinner. I got some video and pics when they first started. So I missed the entire "kodak moment" of the whole tree trim, that's okey dokey!

[Irishrose]

I cut back on several things this year and will only make one batch of cookies - and hide them - because my husband LOVES cookies and will eat the entire batch if I don't hide them.

We are having a roast this year rather than a turkey for Christmas and it will be one vege and a potato and a roll and that will be it. Cookies for dessert.

Gifts have already been purchased and wrapped and so I am ahead of the game this year - thankfully.

I was at my sister-in-law's yesterday and another sister-in-law came over with carmel popcorn, snack crackers, pretzels covered in chocolate, Boston brown bread and homemade donuts - We each got one of everything I listed. She was up until 12:30 that morning finishing the donuts - she did not get the memo.....maybe next year.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE

[Fairiedust]

Hi Beth,
I think everyone decided to go with the flow (a slow one) this year.
I skipped the cookie exchange at church and didn't volunteer for anything to do with Christmas. I have 1 party I have to go to, but only have to bring 1 thing. I can handle that. We are almost finished shopping, but still have to wrap.

Don and the girls worked on the tree and garlands around the house together and stopped when they wanted to. Lots of boxes wnt back to the basement unopened. I haven't put up 1 decoration yet, but I've picked up a lot of the soft ornaments with no hooks that we put on the bottom of the tree for Peyton. She can take them off and we put them back on. We usually have a trail of soft ones down the foyer floor. Evenutally they get back on.

Our 1 stresser left is our Christmas letter, all the pictures have to be cropped and polished up. We use almost no text on our letters, just a lot of pictures of what went on during the year in different layouts. One year it was a timeline, another was bubbles all over the page filled with happy faces from throughout the year. Any information sent is usually handwritten at the bottom of the page and only if we want to. Years ago we split the task, Don does his family and I do mine and anyone inbetween I get to do.

This year so far is going so much better than it normally does. I don't feel like I am running in circles and getting nowhere. I'm not stressing about Christmas. Yay!!!

FD

[Beth]

Ladies, I am impressed!:clap:

Feeling like you have to "do it all" is common this time of year. It is wonderful that you have each taken the time to listen to your inner wisdom and realized that sometimes doing less it not only OK, sometimes it's better! (except Gail, your Buckeye candies sound very tempting, I have to admit!:lwink: )

I have been adding to my daily affirmations and recently included that I will eat a healthy, balanced diet and will avoid eating sugar. Amazingly, my sugar cravings seem to be gone and I am feeling much better than when I would reach into the bag of Double Chocolate Milanos!:laff2:

After the New Year, we'll talk a lot more about self-care - what it means and how you do it. And it's not just about taking care of your mind and body, but also your soul!

Happy Holidays everyone! :dance:

Beth

[Gail]

I can send you the recipe, Beth. :) People go crazy over them.