It's that most STRESSFUL time of year! by Down Town Judy Browne

It’s the most STRESSFUL time of the year!

Why is it that this time of year turns us all into Martha Stewart wanna-bes? Trim the tree! Light the lights! Bake the cookies! Host a party!  Oh – and look like you just stepped out of GQ or Glamour while doing it.

While it’s true that the holiday season is a very joyous time, it can also be very stressful. From the cost of food, presents, and decorations, to over-eating, over-drinking, and especially over-scheduling, it’s not surprising many of us feel overwhelmed!  And these days, it’s easy to look at our friends’ cheerful statuses and on social media sites and compare our lives to our friends’ – and find our own lacking.

Our kids also feel the stress of the holidays, and are often much more prone to tantrums and meltdowns because they don’t know how to handle it or express their feelings.

So how do we deal with the overload? Two of the top suggestions by mental health professionals just happen to be what we do here at LEMA:  1) Stick to your normal routine as much as possible and 2) EXERCISE!

Keeping to a routine helps us to feel in control. It also forces us to “just say no” to too many extra activities that can cause overload and burnout in both our kids and ourselves.  While a few fun outings and family traditions put the ho-ho in the holidays, too many can quickly add up to burnout and meltdowns. Keeping things as normal as possible will help avoid those peaks and valleys throughout the season.

As for exercise:  all of us here at LEMA know how good we feel after a workout!  That’s because exercise releases endorphins, those feel-good chemicals that immediately improve our mood.   So, be sure NOT to skip your workouts or your kids’ scheduled physical activities.  Even on the craziest day, just plugging in your iPod and dancing to Jingle Bell Rock in your living room will bring a little cheer – and may even begin a new family tradition!

Finally, lighten up!  Let go of those unrealistic expectations.  You are not going to look like a supermodel by New Year’s Eve if you don’t already (although some of you already do!) Your family is not going to appear on the cover of Family Circle.  Your wife is not going to buy you that new sports car for Christmas, and your boyfriend probably won’t propose in Times Square at midnight on New Year’s Eve on the jumbotron. Even if any of these things do happen, something will probably not be perfect. Consider this as a holiday gift to yourself: Self-acceptance, self-respect and reasonable expectations.

Finally, don’t forget to take some time for yourself each day.  Those of you who attend my Cage Fitness classes know how important that is to me, and why I include one “me” minute at at the end of every class.  We can’t be there for everyone else unless we take care of ourselves first!

I wish you all the very best of the holiday season.  Cherish the time with your family and friends – remember, the best gift of all is your time.

 

Namaste,

 

Judy aka Down Town Judy Browne!