Seasonal Stress

Holiday Stress

E. Denise Billups

Mindfulness

The holiday season is here, a time for cheer and celebration with family and friends. Unfortunately, for many, this time of the year can be downright depressing. All the planning, decorating, cooking, shopping, parties, and, traveling can leave us exhausted and stressed-out. The American Psychological Association (APA) states that everyone experiences stress differently. “Symptoms include a combination of emotional (worry, tension, irritability) and physical (headaches, insomnia, and stomach problems) reactions.” And everyone has a unique coping mechanism, some unhealthier than others (Drugs, alcohol, emotional eating, excessive caffeine, and smoking).

However, there are better-coping strategies to help you survive this festive season—Mindfulness, which is a method of maintaining moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and the surrounding environment. The practice involves exercises in deep breathing and self-awareness through meditation and mindful movements. It allows us to live in the moment, in a natural state of mind, and fully focused and aware of our choices, moment-by-moment. Coping with Holiday Stress, details more mindful techniques to help you through the holiday season.

Julia Flynn explains that “Our ability to create calm for ourselves and others, when life “falls apart,” is a gift that assists us in bringing life back together. In her article, Behaviors that Guide and Soothe When Life Falls Apart, Ms. Flynn offer straightforward techniques to hold it all together, simple mindful steps of awareness.

Drugs and alcohol abuse this time of the year skyrockets. Ms. Sollito’s article, Red Ribbon Week – Future is Key, Stay Drug-Free offers information on raising drug-abuse awareness within communities and maintaining a drug-free healthy lifestyle.

And we all tend to overeat during the holidays, some more so than others. You ever wonder what that belt you’re wearing around your waist does to your digestion? Check out Jina Bazzar’s article, Belts: Are They An Ornament Or A Digestive Noose?

 

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All these articles and more can be found at  Conscious Talk Magazine.

Coping with Holiday Stress By E. Denise Billups

Behaviors that Guide and Soothe When Life Falls Apart By Julia Flynn

Red Ribbon Week – Future is Key, Stay Drug-Free By Lynn Sollitto

Belts: Are They An Ornament Or A Digestive Noose? By Jina S. Bazzar

Published by E. Denise Billups

Multi-genre Author

14 thoughts on “Holiday Stress”

    1. You’re not alone Simon. I do enjoy the holidays, but hate all the planning and cooking. I think one year I’m just going to hop on a plane and celebrate the holidays in another part of the world, preferably on a beautiful aquamarine beach! 🙂

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  4. Good post, Denise: the holidays can certainly be stressful. Unfortunately I”m currently living in a town where turning to drugs is considered to be a good thing, and coping without drugs is “square.” Just the other day I heard an aspiring therapist advise someone about which doctor might be willing to give them a bogus drug prescription. It’s exhausting, as it means one has to constantly be on guard and aware of what those around them are doing.

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    1. Wow! That’s sad and scary! There are so many natural ways to deal with stress. But most people want the quick fix and to get out of their own heads for a while. This country certainly has an epidemic of drug abuse. I prefer a good six mile run and good old sweat. 🙂

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      1. Yea, you know we have a problem when healthcare professionals are knowingly helping people to abuse drugs. It kind of makes you wonder you we can trust.

        Exercise is an excellent way to reduce stress! I don’t run at present, because I have an old knee injury that I can’t afford to fix. But there are LOTS of ways to work up a sweat without running.

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    1. True, until something gives and we have to pull back from the stress of it all. I personally wish the holidays weren’t so commercialized and we could just enjoy being with family and friends and being thankful for what we have. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

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