As the winter holidays approach, the stress begins to build.
The pressures to give the perfect gift, cook too much food and consume too much drink, spend more than we make, and appear to be jolly can get to be just too much. Which explains why some of us dread the holiday season.
Over doing it may result in why we miss out on the peace of mind that is supposed to come with the season.
The holidays are intended to create a sense of well being by gathering friends and family together. However, these celebrations can have the opposite effect by rousing unwanted stress and anxiety.
All of us come from different backgrounds, so stress can result from our particular situation. Some students have family members they don’t want to be around while others have no family and therefore feel alone. Some may feel hopeless and abandoned because of a broken relationship or a loss of a loved one.
While no family is perfect, it helps to maintain the positive outlook that comes from choosing to be around people who care and bring out the best in you.
Work can also rage up during the holiday season for students who are employed in retail or the food industries. Other students may have lost their jobs or may be experiencing cutbacks in their hours.
Loss of income creates guilt, as they may not be in a position to shop for loved ones. Financial tensions also tend to be another source of family disharmony.
If you identify with any of these scenarios then you are more then aware of the overbearing stress that deprives your life from joy in this season.
We can’t escape the causes of holiday stress, but we can certainly help ourselves manage it and prevent it from overwhelming us.
To rekindle your focus throughout the day, stop and take 15 minutes to be alone in a quiet solitude. Close your eyes and imagine being in your favorite place. Think about being secure, surrounded by beauty. Breathe slowly and focus on the moment.
After a short meditation, you will notice the difference. Feeling relieved and rested, you can than resume your tasks more efficiently.
You can’t always escape your problems but you can help yourself work through them by choosing to remain peaceful and calm during this beautiful but hectic year’s end.
