I know what you're thinking... a stress-free holiday sounds like a JOKE. Most of us have learned to fully accept the idea that from the moment we push away from the Thanksgiving table until we pack up the last ornament, we're going to be presiding as the Mayor of Crazy Town.But does it really have to be such a novel idea that the Holidays are a time to enjoy? Is there a way to reduce the stress and increase the BEST that this season has to offer? I think so! Actually, I know so because I've been doing it for the past few years.I'm going to share a few thoughts that I adjusted in my mind and circumstances that have helped me to feel like more like a kid at Christmas than a stressed out mom.Let's jump right in!Reduce the stress that you can control. Embrace the stress you can't control.We spend so much of our time and energy managing our stress. We plaster smiles on our faces while we literally RUN from one event to another trying to make everyone and everything happy. All the while our insides are shriveling up like a raisin on a beach. The truth is, if we really examined our schedules, we'd find things that can be eliminated. Eliminating the excess will create margin. Having margin will reduce stress. What is margin, you ask? It's basically your boundaries being in tact and not allowing your life to be so filled up with stuff that you have no room for quiet. Saying NO to things is hard but it's a great practice. When you choose your NO, you have a better YES. Focus on the things you really love to do with your family and kick the rest of it to the curb.No one can argue with the fact that this time of year is just busy and there are going to be some things we just can't cut out. So in the midst of those things, try to teach your mind to embrace and enjoy the present and don't waist your energy on resisting and resenting it. The truth it, it takes the same amount of energy to embrace that it does to resist... but when you resist, your energy is sapped. It's like having to pay a tax on spent energy. Nobody likes TAXES! On the other hand, enjoying actually multiplies your energy. So even though you're still spending energy, you're actually getting a return on your investment. As you go this season, hold yourself accountable to embrace and enjoy every moment you have. Take deep breaths, care for your soul, and count your blessings. The right perspective is all you need.I heard an analogy not long ago about the best way to prioritize what's important. "Put your big rocks in first." I know, like what? Ok, imagine you have a jar and you fill it up with a ton of little rocks. Once it fulls up with the little rocks, you don't have room for the big ones. BUT! If you put the big rocks in first, all the little ones will fill in around them. So this season, make a list of your big rocks. Prioritize them. Then as you check those things off, your feeling of accomplishment will be great because you know you're giving your best yes.Plan you work and work your plan. I really like getting a head start on shopping, wrapping, baking, etc. I find that the earlier I fit some of these things in, the less I worry about them getting done. Writing things down normally helps me to stay on top of things, too. But here's the kicker with this one: having a perfectly laid plan is not always the key to enjoying the season. I know it sounds nuts but think about it... what happens when your plan gets derailed? If you're like me, you derail right along with it. It's good to have a plan but it's even better to approach your plan with grace and flexibility. I like to walk through the Holidays with this mindset "I can't control everything. But I can control how I respond to everything. And my response will be one of grace. Grace for myself and grace for others."This is how you work your plan: You make the best of it and forget the rest of it.Pray for PeaceThis will be the last tip I share because I'm fairly certain the whole reason you're even reading this is because you have a crazy busy hectic life that you desperately want to chill. You can do one simple thing with me this season that will make all the difference: Pray for peace. Yes, you can pray for peace on earth and for others. But I'm talking about a peaceful soul. A hurried and over spent soul is what leads to meltdowns and mayhem. A soul at rest focused on peace gives the ability to approach even the most challenging of circumstances with poise. It doesn't matter if you count to ten or take a hundred deep breaths, I believe the only way to have true peace is to ask Jesus for it. And boy does He love to give it.I wrote a little prayer for us to pray together this season and I hope you'll join me in praying it each day:"Give me peace in my heart. Give me calm in my spirit. Speak to me, Lord. Help me to hear it. Let my heart be filled to the brim with gratitude. Let grace be the theme of my attitude. In the midst of the crazy let my soul always be, fixed on the gift that you've given me."I had too many years of feeling restless and run down during the Holidays. I don't want to allow busyness to rob my joy, especially this time of year.Thanks for reading, sweet friends! Wishing you a very Merry Christmas!
By Laura Godfrey
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