Thursday, December 4, 2008

Reducing Holiday Anxiety and Stress

Do you have more anxiety and stress during the Holidays? You are not alone. Many people become more anxious and stressed during the Holidays. And if you are prone to anxiety or panic attacks, you may be more at risk because of all the added activities and worries.

On Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, a Walmart worker was stampeded to death by shoppers hungry for bargains. While this is an extreme incident, and most of us will never be involved in such an event, it does give us reason to pause. How is it that a day set aside to give thanks is followed by the most frenzied few weeks of the year?

My intent in this article is to give you some ideas for having a holiday season that is not too stressful. I hope that you will enjoy this time of celebration with peace in your heart and much enjoyment.

Instead of giving you a tired list of Top Ten Tips, I invite you to keep three principles in mind. Through adopting these three principles, you will come up with your own list of Best Tips that work for you. You will be able to make choices that nurture you. These three principles are: Balance, Simplicity, and and Gratitude.

By striving for Balance, you can enjoy what the season has to offer, without getting too stressed. With your choices guided by Balance, you can enjoy some of the seasonal treats, without blowing your healthy and nutritious diet. With Balance as your compass, you can decide whether you need more time with others or more time alone. You can strike a Balance between sitting around and moderate exercise. Balance will help you decide whether to have another slice of pie, or to take a walk around the block.

With Simplicity in mind, you can decide to streamline your "to do" list, and find easier ways to do things. Maybe you will decide to shorten your list of who to buy gifts for. Or do all your shopping online or in one store that you enjoy. Now how about all those potlucks you've been invited to. Can you think of easy things to prepare or to pick up?

Gratitude is a powerful tool which can keep us focused on Balance and Simplicity. By feeling grateful, we are more likely to feel content and happy with who we are and what we have. If you feel you are lacking in something, such as love, calmness, or happiness, chances are it is already in your life, at least in some small way. Notice when there are moments you feel happy, calm, or loving, and be grateful. Watch these attributes grow in your life.

Being guided by Gratitude, we are less likely to experience anything even remotely resembling the Walmart stampeding incident.

I hope these principles of Balance, Simplicity, and Gratitude will guide you toward a season of happiness and contentment.

Kate Boswell MFT is a therapist in private practice in Marina del Rey. She helps people get past anxiety and fear, and take steps toward the kind of lives they want to live. She can be reached at (310) 658-3158 or at http://www.2bstressfree.com/