There is something crazy about taking a time of joy and turning it into a time of stress. Yet, that’s what many people do.
Holiday stress can stem from financial, physical, social, and family overload.
There is an important principle to keep in mind at a time like this; the more that you are in control of yourself, the greater will be your chances of controlling stress.
Some people are timid about testing their limits during much of the year, and as a result they sell themselves short when they have the opportunity to learn a new skill or develop a new relationship or apply for a job or promotion. Then they reverse course during holiday time and try to exceed their limits.
When it comes to the holidays, just like so many other things in life, it is important to not get caught up in the course of events – but rather control them.
The Mental Health Gym principle of goal setting and achieving comes into play here.
Develop a “game plan” regarding: how much you can comfortably afford to spend; how many parties will you be able to physically and emotionally tolerate; and how much can you physically do to help bring happiness to others.
When you are feeling under stress, it’s hard to fake not feeling stressed. If instead, you can take charge of the holiday season, you will have a better chance of enjoying it while also enabling others to enjoy being with you.