By Justin and Clara Hamel
The holiday season often conjures images that reflect snowy charm, warm hearts, delicious meals and festive celebration, but for many those wonderful holiday meals can be served with a side dish of stress and exhaustion. Packed schedules, financial pressure and family tensions can quickly suck up the joy and dry out the holly jolly. Thankfully, a few minor adjustments can ensure you are rejoicing with glad tidings and holiday cheer.
To begin with, ask yourself:
–What matters most to me this season?
– What can I let go of, simplify or delegate?
– Which traditions still bring me joy, and which feel like obligations?
These simple reflections can provide clarity and help you choose activities that align with your values and priorities. Remember this may require you practicing that word that conjures fear and anxiety in the hearts of people pleasers around the world – no. Just remember that saying no frees you up to say yes to the things that matter. It is not required to attend every party, participate in every exchange or host every gathering.
Next, feed connection not perfection. A joyful holiday gathering isn’t found in flawless decorations and a five-course meal, but it is found in presence and shared experience. So, it is OK if you didn’t get to that string of Christmas lights you meant to put out or if the pecan pie is slightly scorched. That is not what memories are made of. (Unless the pecan pie is flaming … then, that is a memory that will last years to come!)
Next, build comfort into your environment and routine for the holidays. Take time to sit and savor that cup of hot tea or cocoa, light candles on those long evenings for an ambient glow, cozy up under a soft luxurious blanket or take time to curl up with a good book. All of these activities remind us to pause during this busy season, to not get swept up in the frantic pace of perfection, and to intentionally bring peace and stillness into our schedule.
Many of the things we focus our stress on during the holidays don’t really matter in the long run. How much impact does the line at the grocery store, a few extra minutes at a red light, a dish that didn’t turn out perfectly or a schedule that runs a little behind have on the meaning of the season? They can feel overwhelming and frustrating, but pausing in the moment to ask if there is anything you can do to make the experience more bearable can help. You could use your time in line to reflect on gratitude or take the extra few minutes in the car to listen to your favorite holiday tune.
Holidays are meant to be a time of connection and joy. Honoring the aforementioned practices can shift the season from feeling like something you endure to something you actually embrace.
Dr. Justin Hamel and Clara Hamel have a combined over 30 years of experience in health fields. Reach them at 1° Performance & Longevity, located at 46 N. Central Park Plz., Suite 101, in Jacksonville, on Facebook or by phone at 217-243-6358.
