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Happy Holidays: Families and Complications
As our families get more complicated, so do the holidays. Most modern families no longer consist of Mom, Dad, 2.5 kids, and one or two adoring grandparents. Instead, you’re dealing with ex-spouses, their new partners, and a mix of children, step-children, and various half-brothers and sisters. With that, a lot of complications get added to your already busy holiday schedule. While each blended family is different, there are some things you can do to simplify the situation and make sure everyone involved gets to enjoy the holidays. Here are three ground rules that have served us well when dealing with these compliction. Find Common Ground When Faced with Complications No matter how strained…
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Looking for a Perfect Christmas? Don’t!
Whether you scroll through Pinterest, flip through your favorite magazine, or see holiday ads on TV, perfect Christmases are popping up everywhere during the fall and winter months. While they are nice to look at and can serve as inspiration for your own holiday decorating, cooking, and gift giving, there’re hidden dangers in these depictions of a perfect Christmas that you need to be aware of. Perfection Is Not Necessary at Christmas The key word here is “perfect”. When you’re looking at these holiday images, there’s a real danger that you start to expect your own family Christmas to have the same look and feel. That’s about as realistic as…
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The Spirit of the Season: Make a Gratitude List
Sometimes, you may forget the little things that you’re grateful for in your life. However, if you have them in plain sight, it can help you reinforce your gratefulness — especially during the holiday season. Why not write these things down on a gratitude list, and keep them close to you? If you find that you’re overwhelmed by negative feelings, refer to your list. It can serve as a way to reset your negativity. Your Gratitude List: What to Include It’s easy to get started: start listing the thing you are grateful for. If you get stuck, think about the people in your life. Who makes you happy? List the aspects of…
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Stress Primer 101
Happy Monday! I have spent a lot of time over the past couple of weeks discussing how to manage your holiday stress. But I thought it would be good to have a stress primer about stress in general. Don’t worry – I have another post planned that looks at mindfulness and stress coming up soon. Stress and the Body Due to the hectic pace of modern life, it has become increasingly difficult to avoid stressful situations in and out of the home. Common sources of stress include financial hardships, issues at work, unsuccessful relationships, and familial obligations. Individuals from all stages of life experience stress to varying degrees. However, while…
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Journaling to Relieve Stress
Stress comes in many forms — especially during the holiday season. Likewise, stress relief can come in many forms. Some people turn to physical activity for stress relief. Others want something less strenuous. Journaling is a great way to relieve stress at any time. By putting your thoughts and feelings on paper, you provide yourself with a tremendous opportunity for self-reflection. Thinking about your problems or concerns is different from giving those issues physical space. When you see how you’re thinking, you may look at the problem differently. This may make the holiday season a little more pleasant. Here are a few reasons why you should journal to relieve stress:…
