Positive affirmations are daily statements that we make to ourselves that help us align our lives by focusing our thoughts in positive directions.
Sometimes all it takes is a simple switch from “glass half empty” thinking to “glass half full” thinking.
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I included some ideas on holiday cards and gifts in my previous post. Here are some additional tips I hope you find helpful:
Wrap your gifts and place name tags on them immediately after you bring them home, and then store the gifts in a secure spot. This will cut down on those late night wrapping sessions that I am sure we ALL have experienced a few times, if not every year.
Also, be sure to save the gift bags each year so they can be reused. For a real frugal alternative, you can use newspaper.
If you will be cooking during the holidays, it is important to plan your meals ahead of time. Be sure to stock up on all the necessary non-perishable baking ingredients ahead of time.
Keep your holiday recipes in this cute recipe box. Also, try to think of dishes that can be prepared ahead of time and frozen as an extra time-saving measure.
Be sure to enlist the help of your family or friends. Sit down and discuss what needs to be done and ask for volunteers. You can also assign small tasks to each of them.
Whether it is arranging for a babysitter so that you can escape for a child-free day of shopping, passing the shopping list onto another so they can pick up items for you, or letting children decorate your home.
Be sure to get the whole family involved in the holiday preparations so that you won’t be overwhelmed. If you do begin to feel stressed, try some of my stress-busting ideas on my Stress Awareness blog.
Dinner and cocktail parties are timeless ways to bring friends and family together. Attending a party may sometimes involve more than simply showing up at the designated time.
Here are some potential party solutions…
> Introduce yourself to a few people you don’t know.
> Think of small topics and questions that you could ask anyone, and have them in the back of your mind.
> If someone puts an uncomfortable spin on the conversation, give yourself an out and change the subject. “Wow, Tom I haven’t thought about it like that. (Pause) Did I tell you that I am planning to go to Europe for my vacation? Have you ever been there?” Crisis averted.
Whatever you decide to do in your holiday planning, remember to relax and enjoy yourself. You and your family will have much fonder memories of this holiday season if you are not spending it pulling your hair out.
Being aware of where you are and what is happening right now — some call it mindfulness — can help you relax instead of fretting over what’s on your to-do list.
Let go of thoughts about the past or future, and focus on the present moment. If your mind wanders, just bring it back again to focus on the present.
Although the holiday season is a great time of year, for a lot of us it means we have to go into overdrive trying to get everything done. You have done this before and you know just how overwhelming it can be.
If you need a little help, try to practice learning to say ‘no’ WITHOUT guilt, keeping it simple, getting organized and planning ahead, and getting just a little healthier for increased energy and reduced stress.
The holiday season always makes me think about gratitude and blessings; about all the things that we take for granted.
We Americans have such an overabundance and such busy lives that we forget about the simple blessings in life. Sadly, we forget to be grateful. 😢
Gratitude is appreciation or thankfulness, a positive emotion or attitude in acknowledgment of a benefit that one has received or will receive. Gratitude has been found to be connected to a feeling of well-being.
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Stress affects every human being on the planet. It affects thoughts, actions, and reactions. Chemicals, adrenaline, and hormones build up in response to stress.
Modern lifestyles make it hard for them to dissipate. The effects of this can be serious enough to cause significant physical and psychological damage.
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I haven’t always been a positive person. I wasn’t raised in an abundantly positive home environment. It is something I’ve had to learn and work on.
I’ve had many lessons and teachers. I’ve learned to be happy even for the little things. I’ve learned to be thankful even in the midst of turmoil. It isn’t always easy. But I’ve decided it is better than the alternative — to be unhappy.
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