Whether you are heading out of town to visit family or they are coming to you, holiday dinners can be both fun and frustrating. So before you head out for Thanksgiving dinner this year I want to share a few of our favorite bits of advice from some of our favorite experts! Check out the links below for tips on managing family, friends, and your own emotions.
First up… Lisa Kift’s tips on learning to soothe yourself in the face of emotional overload. Her article gives you a simple recipe for reducing cortisol (stress hormone) and increasing oxytocin (the ‘bonding’ hormone)- you might remember these from some vintage {ok…it’s super old} posts I wrote about the power of the 20-second body hug.
Don’t let annoying Uncle Fred or cousin Suzy’s whining triplets get the best of you…. sneak away for a few moments and try Lisa’s self-soothing tips. In 30 seconds you’ll be smiling and ready to face your family and all their quirks.
In keeping with the theme of focusing on yourself rather than the frustrating folks around the dinner table… Check out Marthe at The Freedom Experiment. Although her post is called 11 tips for a happier Christmas, the advice she offers is good stuff all year-round!
I especially like her pointers on reminding your self of who you are now – families have a way of drawing us back into old patterns and ideas of who we are that we have outgrown. If you find yourself feeling like a sullen teenager every time you go home to visit your parents, you need to read her tips now.
What happens when it’s not your family that’s stressing you out? Well Jenine Estes has some great advice for couples to manage the holiday stress as a team. If you’re like many couples the only thing that gets under your skin more at a family gathering than your own parents are their parents!
Thankfully you can get some good holiday advice to help you compromise, share your differing traditions, and make this season one of joy and romance instead of conflict and stress.
So maybe your holiday stress comes from family pressure to find that “special someone” – well my friend and international matchmaker, Paul Brunson has some ideas to help you solve the problem. Check out his post on the top 10 places to meet a man (or a woman) during the holidays.
Be sure to let us know if you have success by posting a comment below.
p.s. If you’re looking for more tips on managing your stress and finding more joy, click here. And if you need some personalized help dealing with this holiday season… book a Holiday Helpline session today!
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