5 Ways to Keep Your Holiday Peace

December 10, 2013
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It’s here. The holiday season. Words like rush, busy, overwhelmed and crazy are used in the same conversation as peace, calm, and joy. There are lines and expectations and additional things to do on top of our already full to do lists. Where do you find the time to create the big show and still share the joy of the season. How do you keep this delicate balance during December?

1. Take care of yourself first. Keep up your regular fitness routine, get adequate rest, drink lots of water, eat healthy. You cannot give your best when you aren’t feeling your best. Dropping the hour you spend at Pilates or yoga or the gym and rushing to the mall for “one more look” is not an investment in your health or your peace of mind. Regular exercise, rest, good food and water will go a long way at keeping you healthy when your feeling stressed.

2. Share the load. It is not up to you to “create the perfect holiday experience” alone. Part of the experience is the getting ready for the “big day or the party” People want to help. Accept it. Let the kids, the family, your friends be a part of the planning, decorating, cooking, card making & mailing, shopping, wrapping. Exhausting yourself “creating perfection” is not peaceful.

3. Strategize, Plan and Delegate. Create a list of what needs to be done and plan the best way to get it done. Then delegate to the best people for the job. Sounds business like but good planning works. Be flexible if plans need adjusting.

4. When it all feels like too much. Stop. Breathe. Say No. If you can’t say no right away, say “I will have to think about it. Can I get back to you?” In other words, you don’t have to say YES to everything.

5. Be in the moment. Be present. Remember what the is really all about. Sharing our love for one another. Spending extra time with the people we love. Giving to people who need more love. It’s about creating joy, peace and celebrating our love for one another. The moments are beautiful, peace is in the moments. Listen, watch with wonder, experience it. Your presence is really a gift. Give it fully.