This time of year can be very demanding. You have to pace yourself so you can feel good as you go. If not, the holidays can stress you out and put a damper on how you feel. Are you feeling stresses this holiday season? Have you got too much going on and too much to do? Here are some ideas to make your holidays feel better and to reduce your stress.

•   Begin the day with thoughts of how you want to feel and what you want to do.
•   Set a realistic plan to accomplish tasks
•   Only do what you can do in a manageable time frame
•   Pay attention to your feelings and use them as a guide
•   Take breaks to relax and enjoy, have some fun, be playful
•   Make taking care of yourself important: eat/drink right, get rest etc.
•   When you find yourself rushing around, slow down and appreciate your surroundings
•   Easy on the sugar and drink lots of water
•   Keep your exercise program going and walk lots
•   Set time aside to be loving to those you care about
•   Keep your social calendar set for fun
•   Nature is a wonderful antidote for a stressful day
•   Giving gifts made through your creativity feels good
•   Make all your gift giving from your heart
•   A wonderful gift is listening with compassion and caring
•   Say “no” to what doesn’t work for you and “yes” to what nurtures you
•   Spend you time with people you enjoy
•   Keep your obligation visits short and move on
•   Give yourself time to wind down at the end of the day so you can sleep well
•   As you lie down to sleep take a few minutes to feel gratitude for all you have

The goal here is to make your life work in a way that feels good to you. You are the first priority. If you don’t take good care of yourself, you caring for others will be compromised. These days we live in are very demanding. Self-care is a key ingredient in making you life work for you and those around you.

Have the best holiday season and let your love shine. That is really what matters most.