It’s that time of year!
Calendars burst with activities
Budgets stretch too thin
There are more family gatherings than normal
Concerts and plays abound
Music and dance recitals showcase learning
Final exams loom
Travel plans fill the air
Tempting sales threaten to overcome your willpower
Is anyone else feeling a little shortness of breath after that list?
I know I am.
I feel like I might need a little CPR. CPR for my holiday.
Here’s how to perform CPR on the holidays, stress less, and still have fun
- Create. Scribble a quick list of everything you “have” to do in the next 30 days. Now, without overthinking it, cross off everything on the list that doesn’t stand out as a something you’ll be glad you did 5 years from now. Maybe someone else thinks that item on your list is a good idea but not you. Or, maybe you think it’s a good idea, but no one else in your family or friends does. Trust me, they won’t miss it. If you get heartburn thinking about participating in it or doing it, cross it off now.
Eliminate perfection thoughts. If your desire is to have everything perfect for your family and friends, they miss out on spending time with a relaxed you. Perfectionism steals away joy.
Focus only on that which brings joy and allows for fun with family and friends. You’ll stress less.
- Pause. Take a deep breath and pause. Do you need to make thirteen kinds of cookies in double batches? Decide on your favorite Christmas dessert and skip the rest. You don’t need to spend the time, energy, and resources to make them, nor do you need to eat the extra desserts.
Remove people from your Christmas card list you haven’t heard from in more than a year. Look at your gift list, too. Are you giving to those who mean the most to you?
Have you allotted time each day to pause?
The fun comes not in the plethora of doing, but in doing that which brings you the most joy.
- Remember. Don’t forget to . . . remember. Christmas is about celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus. It’s a time to remember that God took on human flesh to live and walk among His created ones.
Jesus didn’t remain a baby in the manger. He grew into a man, took on the sins of the entire world (that means you and me), and willingly gave His life on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins.
Because of this baby we celebrate at Christmas, you and I can live eternally with God when we accept His salvation gift. There is no better gift than Jesus.
The best way I know to stress less during the holidays and have more fun is with a healthy dose of CPR.
I try to eliminate 90% of the Christmas clutter in my life. Over the years, I’ve learned that the less I do the more joyful this season becomes.
Here’s my challenge to you: Perform CPR to breathe life into your holidays.
Then, post a comment below or on my Facebook page about your discovery of how to stress less this Christmas season.
Stress less and have more fun this Christmas. If you need help finding your holiday peace, please reach out. I promise to listen without judgment and help you take the next step.
