Holidays and Family Gatherings: Stay Relaxed, Even When You’re Busy
The holidays are often a time for family and friends to get together. Sometimes, that’s the only time people see one another. If that’s the case for you, there are usually a lot of activities your family will want to engage in. It’s important that you make time to enjoy a little peace and quiet.
However, you can even be relaxed amid the frenetic hustle and bustle of the holidays. Being peaceful is about the frame of mind you’re in, no matter what you’re doing. You can remain calm and have peace no matter what’s going on around you. Peace comes from the inside rather than from the circumstances of your life or from the people around you.
Avoid Letting “Busy” Mean “Stressful”
When people are busy, they often succumb to stress. You can be the exception. When you focus on the things that matter to you and put your whole heart into doing something, your concentration and interest in the task will keep you from focusing on things like stress and anxiety. You can banish anxiety and live stress-free.
Busyness is okay, especially around the holidays, as long as you keep things in perspective. Stay busy with the things you enjoy, and avoid allowing yourself to be busy because of the demands of other people. Ask for help instead of taking on everything that comes your way. It’s okay to say no to someone when you say it with love and kindness.
Delegation is Your Friend
Family gatherings can become ultra stressful when you fail to delegate to other people. Avoid doing it all. Let some things go, or get other people to do them. Inform those involved that the things they want done require their willingness to help.
What matters is that you have love and joy in your home. It may be time to avoid people who expect the world without contributing any joy to your life. You have to live for you.
If you work together with others to assign duties and carry them out, everything gets done and no one takes on too much. After all, you know what you can handle.
Try these delegation tips:
1. Avoid being a martyr around the holidays. When you try to do it all, it not only increases your stress, but the stressful feelings spill over to others as well.
2. Be honest and truthful regardless of the opinions of others. You’ll be much more able to have a joyful holiday season when you kindly and lovingly stand up for yourself.
3. When you delegate, remember the little ones. There are plenty of helpful things that small children can do without damaging anything or being in the way.
Family gatherings can be full of love and laughter. With these tips in mind, you can banish stress and anxiety from the picture. To keep your family holiday gathering the best and most relaxed it can be, set the tone by remaining calm in the face of whatever comes your way. The holidays are only temporary, and soon you’ll be back to your normal routine.
The anxiety you face during the holidays often comes from that change in routine. That makes it very difficult to stay calm and happy. By recognizing that and preparing for it, you’ll be in a great position to stay relaxed and peaceful even when the holiday season keeps you busy.
