Tis the Season...To Be Stressed Out?

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Tis the Season...To Be Stressed Out?

According to Morton C. Orman, M.D., author of the bestselling book "The 14-Day Stress Cure," the top causes of holiday stress are:

- Social and personal expectations
- Too many responsibilities
- Trying to change or control people
- Unpleasant memories
- Unpleasant emotions and other body reactions
- Blaming yourself or others when things go wrong
- Failing to anticipate likely problems and delays
- Using food, drugs, or alcohol to cope with stress
- Expecting things to go well
- Expecting others to behave as you prefer
- Being single, divorced, widowed or separated
- Financial stress

Below are some suggestions on how to defuse your holiday stress and give you the chance to have your best holiday season ever (no pressure, though.)

- Be realistic: Put the holiday in perspective and avoid trying to please everyone.
- Visualize: Think about how you might handle unpleasant family interactions more positively.
- Exercise: Keep up a regular routine of exercise or start one if you don t already exercise.
- Use moderation: Don't go overboard on holiday spending and entertaining. Overspending during the holidays can lead to added post holiday stress.
- Have a sense of humor: Avoid taking the small things seriously.
- Help others: Take time to do something for someone else.
- Take time for yourself: Find time in your schedule to slow down and enjoy family and friends, and yourself.
- Manage the holiday "hype."
- Cut back on presents. Presents cost money and shopping takes time.
- Do less, not more. It may seem sacrilegious to actually relax and enjoy the holidays, but it can make the whole month a lot more fun. And the best way to relax is to cut back on activities.
- Be flexible. Tradition doesn’t have to mean rigidity.
- Look for creative solutions to problems.
- Ease family tensions by breaking up the old patterns and creating new ones.
- Have your major holiday meal catered.
- Don’t make eating and drinking the focus of get-togethers. Go caroling or hiking instead, or volunteer to serve food at a homeless shelter.
- Put a dollar limit on gift-giving.
- Shop early to avoid the holiday crowds.
- Shop online for out-of-town relatives and friends to avoid the long post-office lines.