The holidays can be a stressful time of year – our social calendars are full, we’re spending more money than usual with our holiday shopping, eating more than normal (family meals, cookies), and somewhere in the mix we’re traveling to visit family. Alone each of these experiences can be stressful. Handling them all at once can be downright overwhelming.

Here are 5 Tips to move thru the Holidays with ease & grace:

1) Only Attend Events You Truly Want to Attend
Determine which activities you truly want to attend and put those in your calendar first.

For events you feel obligated or required to attend, brainstorm ways to turn the “have to go” feeling into a “want to go” feeling. This will make for a happier event/activity for everyone involved. Your time and energy are precious so you have every right to choose not to attend a “required” event – especially if you’re finding it difficult to shift into the “want to go” energy. Remember, those around you can feel and perceive if you actually want to be there or not so make sure you do before you head out the door.

2) Shop Within Your Budget
Create a budget for your holiday spending. Determine how much you want to spend total, break that number down into how much you’ll spend for the people on your gift list and STICK TO IT. Putting yourself into debt isn’t worth the stress it will bring later. If you can’t pay cash for it, don’t buy it.

Budget not allowing you to do what you want? Get creative. Make gifts, shop sales, make cookies, bread or other food items, or decide not to exchange gifts with certain people.

Start shopping early for the 2011 holiday season so you aren’t faced with this same scenario next year.

3) Enjoy & Return to How You Normally Eat
Enjoy your holiday meals but get right back on track with how you normally eat. If you don’t typically eat 10 cookies a day, don’t do it now. If you don’t typically eat a lot of stuffing and casseroles, don’t do it now. Leave the leftovers at the host’s house. Take your extra holiday cookies to work to share.

Just because it ‘tis the season to gain weight, doesn’t mean you need to follow along.

4) Know Your Family Means Well
When your aunt asks you “When are you going to get married? ” (and you’re not dating anyone) or your mother-in-law asks you “When are you going to give me grandchildren?”, know your family probably isn’t out to make you feel bad or put pressure on you. They simply don’t think about how these questions will be received before they ask them. If you have a feel for the reason behind the question address that instead of or in addition to the actual question.

5) Plan, Plan, Plan
Whether it’s traveling with small children, dreading the questions your family will ask, eating wisely, an overbooked social calendar or concern about how to make your holiday dollars stretch, the key is to PLAN!
• Define the potential downfalls or upsets.
• Plan a course of action if any of those should occur.
• Enjoy yourself. You have nothing to worry about because you have a plan of action.
Embrace this holiday season for everything it is for you and remember to slow down enough to be present and enjoy the memories you’re making.

© New Realms of Possibility LLC