Minimize Our Stress?? Really?? 5 Ways to Handle What Won’t Go Away!

I have always been a morning person, and mornings during
this time of year are my favorites.  I
rise while the darkness still rests outside, light candles, turn on Christmas
lights, brew aromatic French Roast and listen to the quite.  It is this peace, and the assurance family
members are safe in their beds, which fuels me for the day ahead.
Yes, I love this time of year, but it does not shield me or
anyone else from trials.  Life does not
sit still for the holidays and never will. 
When we are told to keep stress at a minimum right how, it is
almost humorous. Don’t tell me…tell all of those other people in my life!  As women, we bare the burdens of all around
us…family, friends, co-workers, neighbors….and sometimes as the craziness
builds like a steam engine on a track…I just want to shout, STOP! That is why the morning is key to
my stability.
What do we do if we truly want to enjoy all the tinsel and holiday bliss, but life tries to halt it?  Here are my
suggestions:

1.      
Find a time of day or a place where you discover
quiet and peace.  Make this a priority.
2.      
Force yourself to go out and enjoy all of the
hustle and bustle.  I can find great joy
in walking through a mall, listening to the music and watching precious little
ones sit on Santa’s lap.  Sometimes just

placing our circumstances on hold and enjoying the moment will help clear the
fog.
3.      
Take your eyes off of your own chaos and put
them on someone who needs help.  There
are so many ways to bless others.  Bake
and deliver goodies for the neighbors with a note of thanks and appreciation
for just being your neighbors. 
Unexpected notes of gratitude mean so much to those around us.  Volunteer. 
Get up and get out.
4.      
CHOOSE to just focus on your circumstances one
day at a time.  I write this often,
because I believe it is so important. As mothers, grandmothers, and employees, we tend to
worry about what the future holds. This is a waste of time and energy.  Just think about all that is before you this
day. It doesn’t minimize the situation, but it does make it more manageable on our side. 
5.       I has taken me a long time to learn the values
of exercise.  I do not think I would have
handled the stress of the last few weeks well at all had I been in the shape I
was last year.  My continued work out
plan keeps me going and somewhat mentally sound.
6.      
I know I said FIVE in the headline, but for those
of you who are like me… women of faith, PRAYER WITHOUT CEASING is key to
walking through times of challenges.  I
am grounded with it.
I watched a morning segment last week about Holiday Stress,
and just shook my head.  They
told me to organize my shopping, plan ahead, take all the arrangements in small
bites, and not have high expectations. 
They said nothing about the stress which can come like a stealth bomber
from work and family, and sometimes both. We cannot manage it, because the
circumstances are created by others.  All
we can do, is manage our responses.  This
is the type of stress which can easily rob our joy and sit us down.
Yes, I am a morning person and a music person.  Though not really a Christmas song, I like
the message delivered inside of the lyrics to Dolly Parton’s Hard Candy Christmas!
Maybe she’ll dye her
hair
Maybe she’ll lose some
weight
Maybe she’ll get a
job….
But all in all, she will be just fine.

And so will I.  Deep
down inside, I know I will be just fine….no matter what I face…I choose this day to enjoy…despite all which steams on around me.

What are your ways of coping during the holiday season when
things are not as cheery and bright as you would like them to be?

Have a joyous Saturday everyone!


This is part of a link up with Midlife Boulevard…Hop on over HERE for some other great reads!

13 Comments

  1. Pam, thanks for the suggestions! Its sad that the holidays are so stressful.
    The best thing I did for relieving stress over Christmas is NO MORE GIFTS! Our family gets together; we do lunch at a small town, buy silly gifts that we open on Christmas. I love Christmas now. Course my kids are older and this works. I think a lot of women feel guilty if they dont buy gift. It was so liberating for me.
    May your holidays be stressfree!

  2. Happy Saturday Pam!
    I am like you, give me a quiet morning to start my day and especially during the Holidays.
    I bought a Christmas CD a couple of years ago by Faith Hill. The last song is now my very favorite Christmas song. It is titled " A Baby Changes Everything". To me it is the Gospel of the Bible in a song. I try to listen to this song everyday to keep me focused on what the true meaning of Christmas is all about. I center myself on what is really important and celebrate the fact that a Savior has come!
    This truly keeps everything in perspective for me and stress seems to vanish.
    God Bless un everyone! Judith Presgrove

  3. Well written post and so true. . ."the circumstances are created by others" all we can do is Love ourselves and think of the many blessings we have been given. Happy Holidays!

  4. I needed this post more than you know. Trying times right now coming from all sides. Illness, violence, unhappiness. I wish I had the strength of prayer as you do. My prayer is enjoying nature; going outside. The early morning is my friend as well.

    Your words resonated with me, and for that I sincerely thank you. You are a gem, Pam.

  5. Dear Pam
    Very wise post.
    I also love Dolly Parton's Song "I Believe in Santa Claus"
    "I believe there's always hope when all seems lost.
    I believe in turning negatives to positives in life
    I believe in lookin' farther up the farther down we get
    I believe when someone hurts we should forgive and forget"
    This is just a part of the song, the whole song is so uplifting and full of good advice.
    I hope you have a Christmas filled with hope,peace, joy and love.
    Shelley

  6. So timely! We can hardly wait for the house to fill with loved ones and then when it does, it's never quite the way we imagined it would be. Little ones don't sleep as well as they might in their own beds, overtired parents get grumpy and people start getting on one another's nerves! Stress builds & threatens to explode. Your suggestions are so apt, especially #6! I definitely needed the reminder that though I can't always manage the circumstances, I can manage my responses. Thank you, Pam.

  7. I love so many of your posts, Pam. They're uplifting, positive, and real. This one in particular brought me to tears as I too, deal with my "stress that comes in like a stealth bomber". Thank you for your words of wisdom. Merry Christmas.

Comments are closed.