3 Steps for a Stress-Free Holiday Season

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by guest blogger Tricia Nelson owner of HealYourHunger.com

While many of us enjoy and look forward to the holidays, stressing doesn’t make them much easier. Time with family, as loving as they might be, can trigger tough emotions and bring us back to our 10 year old selves—in a heartbeat.

The inordinate amount of food around us—cakes, cookies, fudge, and all the rest of it (cheese balls and fondue anyone?) make it hard to stick to our normally healthy routine. Add eggnog and other alcoholic beverages and you have the perfect storm!

Try these 3 steps and you can “take back the holidays” this season:

  1. Don’t do too much.

You don’t have to go to every party you’re invited to. Try evaluating your schedule and determine what you can do, without causing too much stress. If you really want to enjoy your family, be kind to your kids, and stay on track with a healthy diet, just do less and let it be OK.

2. Ask for help.

We want to do it all, but trying to live up to “super hero” status is a prescription for stress. Instead, see what tasks can be delegated to others. Consider who you can enlist (family, friends, or hired help) to help you with chores, cooking, cleaning, or shopping. It’s humbling to admit you can’t do it all, but so freeing, as well.

3. Stop playing God.

Our need to control the world around us—family members, decorations, and entertainment—can drive us (and others) a little crazy. But this is optional stress. Were we “let go and let God”, even just a little bit, we’d quickly see how much more fun we, and others, can actually have. Things don’t need to be perfect. There’s a saying: “if you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans”. The point is that choosing to have an “easy does it” attitude this holiday season will enable you to be much more relaxed and happy.

You may have noticed that the overall theme here is really to slow down, stop controlling things, and allow yourself to have more fun. The holidays don’t have to be stressful. It’s our approach to the holidays that make all the difference. Start doing things differently today and enjoy the season!

About the Author:

Tricia Nelson lost fifty pounds by identifying and healing the underlying causes of her emotional eating. Tricia has spent over thirty years researching the hidden causes of the addictive personality. Tricia is an Emotional Eating Expert and author of the #1 bestselling book, Heal Your Hunger, 7 Simple Steps to End Emotional Eating Now. She also certifies health coaches so they can get better results, referrals and revenue by helping their clients overcome emotional eating. Tricia is the host of the popular podcast, The Heal Your Hunger Show and is a highly regarded speaker. Tricia has been featured on NBC, CBS, KTLA, FOX and Discovery Health. Learn more at www.HealYourHunger.com