Blogmas Day 14: Handling Holiday Stress

Well, well, well, it’s the most wonderful time of the year! It’s so easy to post a pretty picture on instagram and live your perfect life until the holidays are over, right? Wrong. Now listen, I love Christmas, arguably more than the average person, but every year, I reach my breaking point. This year? The breaking point was last night. 

As much as I would love to fully blame a pesky wisdom tooth for yesterday’s CVS parking lot panic attack, I think the tooth was just the straw that broke the camel’s back. Christmas. Is. Stressful. There! I said it! I was feeling pretty crummy when I made it home from a hectic week at work last night, sans desperately needed antibiotic. Weighing heavily on me was one thought, ‘Christmas is ruined.’ 

My what a difference a day off and a decent night’s rest make. Today, post meltdown with a clear mind, I feel refreshed and determined to turn my stress into ambition for the remainder of this magical time of year. I know that nearly everyone finds the holidays stressful, so I wanted to share with you some of my tips for kicking your holiday anxieties to the curb. 

1. Make a list. Hi, queen of lists here, laughing that the first item on my list is to make a list. Obviously, this advice isn’t holiday specific; it works year round. When I feel overwhelmed with a million things to do, I make a list. Not only does it help to visualize what I need to accomplish, it also makes it easier to prioritize my tasks, and it’s incredibly satisfying to physically cross things off of the list. Tackle your list one at a time, and find some peace and calm in that! 
2. Quit multitasking. This notion kind of goes hand in hand with list making, but it’s easier said than done. We are literally the generation of multitaskers.  We talk on the phone while driving. We check emails while watching our favorite tv shows. We Youtube while cooking. I get it, sometimes multitasking is important, but being present is important for the holidays and every day. Being super present and intentional with your time helps to make the holidays more memorable, and you’ll notice that you complete tasks more fully. 
3. Throw cold water on your face. This truly seem’s like a sitcom’s solution to a stressful situation, but medically, it actually works. I did a quick google search to find out the simple science behind this, and interestingly, the first returned search was based on a debate sparked by a tweet from my girl Lili Reinhart. Too good to pass up, so learn more about why cool water calms us down here. And next time your cat climbs the Christmas tree, consider this instead of flipping out.
4. Don’t procrastinate. I feel like we’re almost too late in the season for me to give this advice, but heck, it’s better than waiting until Christmas Eve. I am notoriously ahead of the game on present buying and wrapping. However, when it comes to sending out cards and nailing down plans with family, and decorating the house (all things that I truly do love), I always drop the ball and then really regret it. Just think of how much more enjoyable the holiday season would be if you knocked out all the necessities in advance and had a few weeks to really enjoy family, cozy Christmas movies, and relaxation. 
5. Remember that Christmas is one day. We all put so much pressure on ourselves to ensure that this one day a year goes off without a hitch. If you really think about it, when was the last time that you opened a gift from someone and felt truly disappointed? Taken a bite of the Christmas turkey and wanted to spit it out? Looked at someone else’s tree and thought it was hideous? Probably never. We’re kind enough to spare others, so why do we put so much pressure on ourselves at Christmas?! Just breathe. It’s all beautiful. 
6. Know the reason for the season. I touched on this last year, but to reiterate, I know that Christmas isn’t a religious celebration for everyone. For a lot of people, it’s strictly cultural. Either way though, I think all of us celebrating Christmas can agree that it’s not about the perfect gift, or tree, or decorations. It’s about spending time with people we love and spreading the magic of Christmas with those who may have a harder time finding that magic. And yeah, if you’re celebrating religiously, it’s all of the above and so much more. 
7. Watch Vlogmas. I prefer @shutupcrystal’s best, but I also love some Zoe Sugg in my life.

I hope some of these tips help you beat the holiday stress. I’m feeling so much better today! Do you have any great methods for kicking the Christmas chaos?

xoxo stress free me (in my dreams, but trying)