2958: Keep Your Sanity During the Holidays: 5 Practical Tips AND Coping with Holiday Anxiety by Dr. Susan Chanderbhan

[00:00:00] This is Optimal Living Daily, Episode 2958

[00:00:03] Keep Your Sanity During the Holidays 5 Practical Tips

[00:00:07] and Coping with Holiday Anxiety by Dr. Susan Chanderbhan of Chanpsych.com

[00:00:14] and I'm Justin Malik reading you articles every single day to help you live a more meaningful and positive life

[00:00:19] and have two shorter posts this time covering the holidays

[00:00:22] so with that let's get right to them and start optimizing your life

[00:00:30] Keep Your Sanity During the Holidays 5 Practical Tips

[00:00:34] by Dr. Susan Chanderbhan of Chanpsych.com

[00:00:39] As fun as the holiday season can be, not every moment is holly jolly

[00:00:44] dealing with family stress, coming up with unique gifts to give

[00:00:48] and end-of-year professional deadlines can make the most wonderful time of the year stressful for anyone.

[00:00:55] This year take time to arm yourself with some easy tips

[00:00:58] to help you stay sane throughout the holiday season.

[00:01:01] Start prepping early with these helpful tips.

[00:01:05] 1. Manage Your Expectations

[00:01:08] Although this may sound grinch-like, try to rein in your expectations for the holidays before you get too excited.

[00:01:16] You do not need to put high pressure on yourself to make this the best holiday ever.

[00:01:20] The important part is seeing loved ones and spreading joy.

[00:01:24] The next time you find yourself hyping up how this will be the best holiday season of your life,

[00:01:29] take a deep breath and rein it in.

[00:01:32] Simply spending time with your family and making quality memories is enough.

[00:01:37] 2. Remember to Make Time For Yourself

[00:01:41] With plenty of travel being done and holiday parties to attend,

[00:01:45] you may forget to take care of yourself.

[00:01:47] Practicing self-care is critical in such a high stress time of the year.

[00:01:51] Although now is the time to do thoughtful things for others, you cannot forget about yourself.

[00:01:57] Consider creating a self-care basket before the crazy holiday season starts.

[00:02:01] Small things that travel well such as a journal, bath melts or a nice hand lotion

[00:02:08] are easy to travel with so you can take your spa routine on the road if you plan on traveling.

[00:02:13] As well as physical self-care remember to keep your body moving to keep the endorphins flowing.

[00:02:19] During the holidays it's tempting to let go of your regular exercise routines

[00:02:23] but it's even more important to stay active.

[00:02:26] If you're traveling to stay with family, pack your running shoes and take short walks in the neighborhood you're staying.

[00:02:32] For introverts there's the extra bonus of getting some time away from what can be non-stop socializing.

[00:02:39] 3. Focus On Kindness

[00:02:42] Rather than losing your cool in holiday traffic or getting frustrated while stuck in line at the grocery store,

[00:02:49] reframe your mindset to be a positive one.

[00:02:52] The end of the year is a great time to re-root yourself in what truly matters, kindness and compassion.

[00:02:59] Instead of honking at the car that cut you off, take a few deep breaths

[00:03:03] and think about how the line of traffic fits into the grand scheme of things.

[00:03:07] Things are busy because we're all doing the same thing working on making the holiday special for our loved ones.

[00:03:13] In the long line at the grocery store, strike up a friendly conversation with the person in front of you.

[00:03:19] Spreading holiday joy is what this season is all about.

[00:03:23] 4. Create A Schedule

[00:03:27] When celebrating with so many people the end of the year can come and go before you even realize it.

[00:03:32] Once you have an idea of what obligations you have throughout the holiday season,

[00:03:36] set aside some time to organize your schedule.

[00:03:39] Find a calendar or use your phone to write out what parties you have on what dates,

[00:03:45] when you have family coming into town and even when you need to go grocery shopping.

[00:03:49] This way you can free up space in your brain to focus more on your loved ones and less on your to-do list.

[00:03:56] Creating a schedule also helps us be more intentional about how we want to spend the holidays.

[00:04:01] Do you really want to attend those five holiday parties?

[00:04:04] Or would you rather schedule a quiet dinner with friends that you haven't caught up with in a while?

[00:04:10] Or organize a cookie decorating party with the kids and your family?

[00:04:14] Instead of the holiday season passing in a blur of obligatory events,

[00:04:18] spend time on the activities and the people you truly value.

[00:04:22] 5. Enjoy The Present Moment

[00:04:26] Take full advantage of the joy of the holiday season by committing yourself to the present moment.

[00:04:32] The holidays only happen once a year and you are living in it.

[00:04:35] As stressful as this time can be, think of all the happy memories you're creating.

[00:04:40] You won't get to experience this holiday joy for another full year.

[00:04:44] Enjoy it while it lasts.

[00:04:50] Coping with Holiday Anxiety by Dr. Susan Chanderban of Chanpsych.com

[00:04:57] The holidays are fast approaching.

[00:04:59] While it's meant to be a time of peace, happiness and joy,

[00:05:03] the holidays can also be extremely stressful.

[00:05:06] When you already struggle with anxiety,

[00:05:08] even thinking about the upcoming holiday season can trigger intrusive thoughts

[00:05:12] and make you more anxious than ever.

[00:05:15] Thankfully, it doesn't have to be that way.

[00:05:18] If you struggle with anxiety,

[00:05:20] there are several ways that you can approach the holidays that will make the season easier to get through.

[00:05:25] Let's look at some of the best solutions for managing those intrusive thoughts

[00:05:29] and enjoying the holidays this year and beyond.

[00:05:32] 1. Learn How To Say No

[00:05:36] There's no denying that the holiday season is a busy time of year.

[00:05:40] There are work events, gatherings with friends, parties, family get-togethers and so much more.

[00:05:46] All of that is on top of everything you already have to do on a daily basis.

[00:05:51] Remind yourself that it's okay to say no to certain things this time of year.

[00:05:55] You don't need to go to every party or big town event.

[00:06:00] Learning to say no and being okay with that decision

[00:06:03] will give you more time to focus on the things that are most important to you.

[00:06:07] Also, give you more time to relax and practice self-care throughout the season.

[00:06:12] 2. Spend Time Outside

[00:06:15] Depending on where you live, you might not be able to spend as much time outside in the winter as you like.

[00:06:20] However, chances are there are at least some clear days or nights where you can enjoy the clear air or the starry sky.

[00:06:28] Taking a breather and getting some fresh air can reduce stress, calm your nerves and boost your mood.

[00:06:34] Winter can be a beautiful time so don't be afraid to bundle up and step outside for a few minutes each day.

[00:06:41] 3. Stay Physically Active

[00:06:45] The holidays aren't exactly known for promoting physical activity.

[00:06:48] Unfortunately, staying sedentary and eating a lot of indulgent foods can do more harm than good to your mental well-being.

[00:06:56] Do your best to exercise at least a few times a week.

[00:06:59] Regular exercise will help you manage your stress levels, boost your energy

[00:07:03] and make any anxious thoughts easier to deal with.

[00:07:06] If you don't want to work out outdoors, try looking up different workout videos on YouTube or head to your local gym.

[00:07:13] 4. Keep A Journal

[00:07:16] You don't have to be a pro at writing to effectively keep a journal through the holiday season and beyond.

[00:07:21] By writing down your experience when any negative thoughts creep in,

[00:07:25] you'll be more conscious and aware of how your anxiety affects you.

[00:07:30] Sometimes simply getting those thoughts on paper can help to pull you back to the present moment

[00:07:35] and make those anxious thoughts seem less overwhelming.

[00:07:38] Jot down how you're feeling and what you think triggered your anxiety.

[00:07:43] Not only will it make it easier to calm down,

[00:07:45] but you'll have a record of how well you're doing when it comes to working on and eventually overcoming your anxiety.

[00:07:52] 5. Practice Mindfulness

[00:07:56] Anxiety often rears its ugly head when too many what-ifs come to mind.

[00:08:00] It's all about uncertainty, and the holiday can be a very uncertain time for some people.

[00:08:06] One of the best ways to combat those feelings is to practice mindfulness.

[00:08:10] Choose to stay in the present moment.

[00:08:13] Close your eyes and focus on your breathing and how you feel at that exact moment.

[00:08:18] It takes some time and practice to get comfortable with mindfulness, but it can help manage anxiety.

[00:08:24] The holidays don't have to make your anxiety worse.

[00:08:28] Try some of these approaches if you're already stressing about the season and

[00:08:32] don't hesitate to reach out for help if you're really struggling.

[00:08:35] You should never have to deal with anxiety on your own.

[00:08:42] You just listened to the posts titled

[00:08:44] Keep Your Sanity During the Holidays, Five Practical Tips

[00:08:48] and Coping with Holiday Anxiety, both by Dr. Susan Chanderban of Chanpsych.com

[00:08:55] Thank you to Dr. Chanderban, Simple Tips,

[00:08:58] and some that we probably already know deep down, but could use a reminder as we head into the holidays.

[00:09:05] I know a lot of these do tend to fall off for me around this time of year.

[00:09:10] I might stop a mindfulness or journaling practice, even some kind of exercise or me time in an attempt to

[00:09:17] satisfy others or to just keep up with everything going on.

[00:09:22] I'm not much of a scheduler or planner personally, but if there's any time to do it,

[00:09:27] I'd have to say that this is the time.

[00:09:29] Whether or not we like doing it, it can help us remember what truly matters

[00:09:34] because again, it's really easy to forget and losing that habit that we've been working on

[00:09:39] just isn't worth it.

[00:09:41] I do use this podcast as a daily reminder, hopefully you do too,

[00:09:45] but taking the extra step to pencil in some time for things that we know will benefit us

[00:09:50] in the long run can make a big difference.

[00:09:53] Small reminders make for huge changes.

[00:09:56] So hopefully we can stay on track this holiday season

[00:09:59] and I appreciate you listening through the holidays.

[00:10:01] It really means a lot.

[00:10:03] Have a great rest of your day and holidays

[00:10:05] and I'll be back tomorrow for the Friday show where your optimal life awaits.