Holiday Survival Tips

“If you cannot find peace within yourself, you will never find it anywhere else” -Marvin Gaye

The holiday season, generally from October to January, is traditionally seen as the most festive, best time of the year. We all have memories (hopefully positive) of holidays past with friends and family. But doesn’t it seem like the holiday seasons have become busier and more stressful? That’s because they have. Although it’s not actually the holidays themselves that are more stressful, it’s our lives that are busier and more anxiety producing. Your everyday stressors, such as presiding over a stressful trial, fighting traffic, making sure the kids are in the right place at the right time, caring for aging parents, going to doctors’ visits, trying to make time for exercise and healthy eating, paying bills, making time to see friends, etc., are compounded when the tasks of preparing for the holidays are added. What are these added holiday tasks? Shopping for gifts and special meals, cleaning the house, putting up the holiday decorations, making travel plans, packing for travel, and actually traveling. Any added responsibility to your already overloaded plate can impact your mental, emotional, and physical health. What’s the solution? Find some inner peace this season.

1. Lower your expectations. Or get rid of them altogether. Rather than planning everything and putting yourself in charge of the holiday season, work with your friends and family members to make collaborative decisions. If you have rigid expectations of how things “should” go, you will almost always be let down. Don’t sabotage this holiday season by setting unrealistic goals for yourself or anyone else.

2. Don’t underestimate the time it will take to complete holiday tasks. Shopping, cleaning, cooking, and decorating are not quick and easy tasks, especially when many other people have the same type of plans. Rather than creating situations where you are running around like a “chicken with its head cut off” because you double-booked your time, create a timeline for yourself for all the things you need to accomplish. Add at least 30-60 minutes to each one. Consider the best time to accomplish your tasks that work for you rather than against you. Perhaps doing some cooking after the kids have gone to bed, or shopping in the evening during the week rather than on the weekend. Take a few moments to plan your next day’s activities.

3. Remind yourself to SLOW DOWN. When you find your mind or body racing around, or if you are getting agitated, angry, or overwhelmed, remember to breathe. Everything will get done, and everything will be okay. Say a soothing mantra to yourself, such as “breathe in calm, breathe out smile,” or go outside to take a walk. Rather than focusing on what needs to get done, focus on the people around you; be present in the moment and enjoy it!

Unfortunately, life will not slow down for you. You can, however, use your own inner resources to find peace within yourself despite the fast paced holiday season! Start now by taking a deep breath and imagining how lovely the holiday season will be with a little mental preparation.

By Sarah Myers, JD, LMFT, LAC Executive Director, Colorado Lawyer Assistance Program © Colorado Lawyer Assistance Program, 2020

The Colorado Lawyer Assistance Program (COLAP), your free, confidential and independent well-being program for Colorado judicial officers, is available at www.coloradolap.org or by calling 303-986-3345. If you or a colleague are in need of confidential support, referrals, direction on how to resolve personal or professional stressors, or are interested in a free well-being consultation, please contact COLAP directly for assistance.