Silver bells are ringing, and all the choirs are singing... but what's going through your mind looks something like this:
- you've still got five people to buy presents for (no, wait, make that seven, you forgot to get something for your kids' teachers);
- you just found out your mother-in-law is bringing her two schnauzers with her to the family dinner for eighteen people, and you still haven't planned the menu;
- your spouse's office party is tomorrow and you need to pick your dress up from the dry-cleaner's before it closes, but you also have to take the packages for the family overseas to the post office before the guaranteed shipping deadline;
- your youngest needs a costume for her school play and it "has" to have sparkles;
- you promised to bake 25 cupcakes with tree-shaped sprinkles on top for your son's class party tomorrow;
...and on top of all of that, the radio is playing yet another Justin Bieber Christmas song. It's enough to make even the most holly-jolly person snap!
Yes, 'tis the season for family, friends, and frivolity once again. It can also, however, be the season for stress; with everything that has to get done at this time of year it's easy to find yourself overwhelmed and at your wits' end during the holidays. Fortunately, there are ways to get through it all with your sanity still intact!
How to beat holiday stress
Here are three simple ways to beat holiday stress and stay sane this season. These techniques can be used whenever you feel frazzled or anxious, and they are also really great for reducing insomnia at night, too!
1. Deep Breathing
Deep breathing exercises can be a wonderful meditative experience to help you relax and unwind. With this one, begin by settling yourself comfortably, closing your eyes, and focusing on your breathing. Slow your breaths down, breathe deeply in and out for about a minute, and pay attention to the rise and fall of your chest.
As you breathe in, focus on relaxing your body and dissolving any tension that you feel. As you breathe out, smile just a little bit. On each inhale, try to dissolve the tension a little bit further, and on each exhale, smile a little bit more.
This technique works on two fronts: Smiling relaxes all sorts of facial muscles and "tricks" you into feeling happier, which helps you to relax even more; and deep breathing not only calms your mind, it brings more oxygen into your body and slows down your heart rate, which also helps to induce relaxation.
2. Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Progressive Muscle Relaxation is a great tool for those times when you're really feeling physical tension and discomfort in your body. This technique consists of slowly tensing and relaxing each of your muscle groups in sequence (hence the "progressive" part). By deliberately tensing your muscles before trying to relax them, you can actually achieve a deeper muscle relaxation than you would have if you tried to just relax the muscles directly.
To begin this exercise, breathe in and tense up one set of muscles (e.g scrunch up your face or clench your toes or tense up your shoulders, etc.) as tightly as you can, without causing pain, and hold the muscles in that tense state for about five seconds. Then, as you breathe out, relax the muscles again for at least 30 seconds, and then deliberately try to relax them even further.
Systematically work your way through your whole body, so that every muscle group gets attention. (You can either start with your toes and work your way up your body, or start with your head and work your way down. I like to start with my head because I visualize all the tension dripping down and draining out of my body. You might be different so go with whatever works best for you!)
3. Peaceful Visualization
With this exercise, you get to use the power of your own imagination to induce tranquility and peacefulness by whisking yourself away to some fabulous virtual location of your own choosing!
Imagine a scene, place or event that is particularly peaceful, beautiful or happy. It can be a real place like a beach you've been to in the past, or it can be a fantasy place that you've never actually experienced before but which makes you feel happy or relaxed. Either works as long as you can imagine details, because the more details and senses you can draw into your visualization, the more effective it will be.
For example, if you do happen to imagine yourself relaxing on a beach, really get into it: feel the texture of the sand and the towel you're lying on. Feel the warmth of the sun or the coolness of the water on your skin. Smell the salt of the ocean or fruity pineapple and coconut in your piña colada. Taste the piña colada! Feel the breeze! Listen to the sound of the waves crashing against the shore, and hear the birds calling to each other overhead. Really feel yourself becoming calmer and more serene in this perfect, relaxing place.
If you're not a beach person, then choose a forest, or a desert or whatever place and scene feels right for you. The point of this exercise is to use it as a "virtual vacation" - it's supposed to be a retreat from any stress, exhaustion and tension you may be feeling, so enjoy it! The point of peaceful visualization is that when you really get into the process and engage all your senses as much as possible, your body starts to react to the images as if they were real.
Stress may be a part of life, especially during the holidays, but that doesn't mean we have to let it get the best of us. Using these easy relaxation techniques can help you to consciously reduce your stress and anxiety, and make your holidays much more merry and bright!
Photo credit: (c) Can Stock Photo
Nathalie Thompson is the author of fearLESS and Seven-Minute Stress Busters. A dream-catching catalyst and motivational expert, she helps people rediscover what they really want in life and then teaches them how to get it. Grab your FREE copy of her stress-relief guided meditation today!