Preparing for a Joyful Holiday Season – TPW472

How can we reduce our stress and increase our joy this holiday season? I think I mentioned in an episode early this year (actually late last year!) that my word for this year is joy. It’s something I’ve tried to turn my attention to throughout the year, reminding myself to look for and intentionally cultivate joy. I’ve been thinking about joy in the context of the coming year-end holidays--for our family, that mostly means Thanksgiving and Christmas, but for you that might include Hannukah, Advent, Las Posadas, Kwanzaa, Boxing Day, New Year’s Eve, or others. Whatever holidays you celebrate during this time, we all look forward to them with anticipation and expectation of joyful gatherings, but the year-end holidays can also be stressful, especially if family situations are complicated or, like me, the last weeks of the year are also a very busy time in your job or career. I was surprised by one article I read that cited a study that found “49% of Americans report feeling anxious during the holidays, with two in five saying it negatively impacts their mental health. Their biggest concerns include inflation, gift shopping, and dysfunctional family dynamics.”  So in looking ahead to this time, I started thinking about, and then researching, ways to minimize the stress and amplify the joy of this year-end holiday season. Preparing for a joyful and productive holiday season can be especially important for women who often shoulder a significant portion of the holiday planning and organizing responsibilities. 1. Set the foundation for a joyful holiday season The importance of mindset and intention-setting for a joyful holiday season.  Like any time or year, it’s important to remind ourselves that we and how we feel are not at the mercy of our circumstances. Our emotions--whether joy or anxiousness or anger or any other--result not from our circumstances, but from what we think about our circumstances. We can choose our thoughts and manage our minds. It’s not easy--certainly not for me--but it can be done. Start now to practice both awareness and intentionality in this area: * Be aware of your feelings.  * Remember it's not a matter of right or wrong; they just are.  * Identify the thoughts you are thinking that create those feelings.  * Decide on purpose whether you want to keep thinking those thoughts or choose others:  * How do I want to feel right now in this situation?  * What thoughts do I need to think in order to feel that way? Manage expectations and reduce holiday stress. One writer reminds us to “be realistic and upfront about what your family can do. Make a list of what is possible and prioritize your most important events and activities for you and your family. Then, pace yourself. Organize your time. Keep in mind that it’s the holiday “season” (not “day”) and spread out your activities to lessen stress and increase enjoyment.” Again, this comes down to awareness and intentionality. What do you want to do during this holiday season, and why? Do you like your reasons? If not, then rethink the plans. Staying present is more valuable than giving presents. I read a great reminder from one writer: “Don’t get so focused...