Holiday Stress Prep 101 + Take Your ‘Character Strength’ Quiz

Holiday stress has a very bad habit of detracting from what a wonderful time of year the holiday season is! All the hustle and bustle of the holidays can be very exciting, but also a little draining and anxiety-inducing. It’s super important to make sure you are taking fabulous care of yourself during this time to ensure you feel your best emotionally and physically and to not let holiday stress impede what’s supposed to be a relatively happy holiday seasons.

As lovely as this time of year is, it can also bring a little holiday stress with all of the parties spent with friends, coworkers and extended family. If you are like me, sometimes these moments can be a little exhausting and quite frankly, stressful. Family is wonderful, but there have been times when issues have come up.  Staying focused, positive and having a heart of compassion and forgiveness has always helped me get through it in a genuine and peaceful way.

2.  TAKE THE FREE VIA CHARACTER STRENGTH QUIZ

TAKE THE STRENGTH QUIZ (HERE) – Taking this quiz shows you what your top strengths are. When you are aware of your top strengths, you can learn to access them throughout each day and week to help you feel strong and centered.  This tool is perfect for this time of year!

3.  MOVE YOUR BODY

Movement is very important to healthy bones and muscles. Daily movement is also a key component to living a long and full life. Don’t you notice when you exercise that you not only feel better physically, but emotionally as well?

Skipping meals is no good! When you have too much time between meals, your blood sugar levels get out of whack and you start to crave something that will quickly bring you more energy. Usually, this tends to be something overly processed. Instead of giving you lasting energy, this form of food actually causes an increase or spike in alertness and then it is followed by a drop, which leaves you feeling lethargic and foggy headed.

5.  PRACTICE A GRATITUDE EXERCISE EVERY NIGHT BEFORE GOING TO SLEEP

Our days are full of crazy and hectic schedules especially this time of year. Not just with schedules, but the Holidays can be a very emotional time. Family stuff, relationship stuff, etc. can all come to the surface in a time where we are meant to be merry and jolly. Make a habit of saying a few things that you are grateful for each day, as part of your nightly ritual. This way when issues do come up that make you sad or bring you down, practicing gratitude can help shift your focus back to a more positive mindset.

6.  PRACTICE DEEP BREATHING

When you practice deep breathing, it really does help reduce stress and take you out of the heat of the moment. My favorite way to get back to “Zen” throughout the day is with Dr. Andrew Weil’s 4-7-8 breathing technique. If I start to feel a little stressed, this really helps me rewire and feel more balanced.

7.  HAVE A HEART OF FORGIVENESS

Forgiveness is so important to our overall soul-centered way of life. Holding a grudge or staying angry about something really only hurts you in the long run. Why not forgive those in your life whom you might feel wronged by even if they aren’t asking for it? You might be surprised to notice how much better you feel.

 8.  STAY HYDRATED

Proper hydration is so important to your body functioning at an optimal level. Did you know that sometimes if you find yourself craving sweets, you could actually be dehydrated? Your body is in need of water at that moment, not something highly processed or loaded with sugar.  Strive to drink the amount of water each day that is right for your body.  What’s the right amount for you?  Take your body weight and divide it in half.  That is the amount of water in ounces you should be drinking each day.

Holiday stress doesn’t have to be a part of the season. Make sure you enjoy yours!