How to Avoid Stress and Have a Mindful Holiday Season
This morning while sitting at my daughter's swim lesson, I overheard parents talking through their holiday plans. Who's coming in town? When do they arrive and where will they stay? What's on the menu and what activities are on the calendar? When all of your holiday to-do’s get added to everything else on your plate, it’s clear how this can be the most stressful time of year.
As an intuition coach, I help my clients cut through the noise in everyday life and get back in touch with their truest selves. Through the holiday season, that includes calming the chaos and tuning into intuition. The following strategies will help you avoid stress so you can have holidays that are merry, mindful, and magical!
You’re Not Being Dramatic, Holiday Stress is Real
According to Motherly's 2021 State of Motherhood survey, 93% of mothers reported feeling burned out — and 16% say they feel burned out all the time. With the holiday countdown officially on, things are about to get a lot more stressful for moms.
The mental load on mothers is about to increase tenfold. Holiday responsibilities run the gamut.
Choosing family photo outfits that look nice, but not too matchy-matchy. Decorating the house with that hygge meets the 'coastal grandmother' aesthetic. Braving holiday travel to spend time with family. Volunteering for local non-profits. Making memories. Practicing gratitude. Wrapping gifts. Hosting parties. Attending events. Keeping traditions. Doing it all with the never-ending pressure to capture the moment for social media.
It's no wonder a simple Google search on “holiday stress” pulls up these queries —
How to reduce holiday stress and bring mindfulness into the holiday season?
How do I cope with holiday stress?
What are the causes of holiday stress?
This Year, Don’t Just Survive the Holidays
Take a moment to pause, breathe, and dream about how amazing it would feel to slow down this season. See yourself truly appreciating the magic in the mundane. Imagine how meaningful it would be to celebrate and connect with those you love most.
You can have a magical holiday season. You can feel fulfilled as you wrap up 2022. You can be excited for the manifestations that lie ahead in 2023. Your intuition is ready to guide you to the alignment and actions to get you there.
Your voice of intuition can help you find calm, clarity, and magic, this holiday season.
Tune into your intuition as you make plans, purchase gifts, and decide what you want (and don’t want) to do over the holidays. The following strategies will help you connect with your intuition, avoid stress, and get into a merry and mindful mood this holiday season!
The best gift you can give yourself.
Treat yourself to a 60-minute coaching session. Clients say these calls leave them feeling calm and grounded — with clarity about what to do next. As 2022 comes to a close, give yourself the gift of intuition! Book your session today.
8 Ways to Avoid Stress Through the Holidays
Every year the holidays arrive with mixed emotions. There’s a lot to celebrate through the season, but the pressure to do everything perfectly can be too much. Try these ideas to avoid holiday stress and actually thrive this season.
Set your intentions for the season. Decide how you want to feel over the holidays and what energy you want to bring to the season. → Read More: What Does It Mean to Set Intentions?
Prioritize what brings you joy. Pay attention to the people, activities, and places that make you feel joy. Put those at the top of your list and appreciate the good feelings they bring.
Find ways to do less. Remember that it’s okay to say “no” or “not this year.” Your intuition can help you decide where to do less through the holidays. When you you feel like you have to do something, tune into your intuition to find out if that’s really true.
Give yourself permission to ask for help. We aren’t meant to do everything alone, especially over the holidays. If your mother-in-law offers to wrap a few gifts, welcome her help. If you are feeling overwhelmed, ask your partner or a friend to share the work.
Focus on being in the moment. When you notice stress creeping in, take a deep breath and complete exhale. Remind yourself to focus on the present moment. Being where you are (instead of worrying about what’s next) can help you find the magic in the moment.
Practice rituals that give you calm. Make these small and accessible. Light a candle. Say a prayer or mantra. Put on lotion before bed. Hug your children when they get home from school. Find tiny rituals and gentle practices that make you feel calm and at ease.
Write a letter to your future self. One of my favorite holiday traditions is writing a letter to my future self. I write it as I pack up our Christmas decorations so I can read it the following year when I unpack everything. I include the things I loved about the season and what I want to do differently. I’ll also write words of encouragement and anything I want to remember. → Listen to the Podcast: My Favorite Holiday Tradition for Cultivating Calm
Release your stress when it comes. Even the best holidays can be overstimulating and stressful. Give yourself grace and compassion and be sure to release your stress when it comes. Go for a walk, talk it out, take a shower, take a nap, or write in your journal.
How to Have a Merry and Mindful Holiday Season
Your energy is directed outward more than usual during the holiday season. This can be refreshing and wonderful, but it can also be draining and disorienting. Being intentional about the way you take care of yourself can help your holidays be more mindful and merry.
The holidays are not the optimal time for big sweeping changes that require a lot of effort. Instead, incorporate small and gentle actions that feel supportive.
Care for your body. Eat nourishing foods, drink more water, and get enough sleep. And be mindful of the things you say about your body through the holidays. This can be a time of extra indulgences of all kinds — take extra care to appreciate all that your body does for you.
Relax your mind. If the holiday season has you on the go more than usual, give yourself time to unwind. Listen to a podcast while doing a puzzle. Watch a holiday movie without scrolling social media. Pick up a good book. Bundle up and go for an early evening stroll.
Experience your emotions. This time of year can have an extra dash of drama and it can bring up old emotions. Give yourself an opportunity to experience your emotions and gather support if you need — book an extra therapy session or schedule inner voice coaching.
Embrace the magic. Open your eyes and heart to the magic of this season. Invite serendipity and manifestations in. Ask your intuition (and the universe) for signs, aligned numbers, and joyful surprises. Celebrate tiny moments of magic when they arrive!
Give Yourself the Gift of Intuition
Your intuition is the inner voice of wisdom within. When you start listening to your intuition and acting on the guidance you receive, you will feel less overwhelmed and more aligned in daily life.
The Gift of Intuition is a private, 60-minute coaching call to help you access the clarity and calm that you're craving this holiday season.
Not sure how it works? Before the call, you will receive a brief questionnaire to help set the tone and focus of our time together. We will meet on Zoom (audio-only) and begin with conversation. Then we'll go deep into your intuition through a process similar to guided meditation. Your session also includes a recording of the call and a summary of the insights from your intuition.
Say hello to clarity, magic, alignment, and flow.
Wave goodbye to overwhelm and uncertainty. Step inside for deep intuition, kindred connections, and gentle support.
Keep Reading for More Inspiration + Intuition
My Favorite Holiday Tradition for Cultivating Calm
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