Day 15 - Ways that I can de-stress over the holidays

After writing my last post, I began thinking about ways that I could de-stress over this holiday season.  I think an important part is to avoid getting stressed in the first place.  For me, this means lists and lists and lists.  I write everything down, and this frees up my brain.  I also try to get as much stuff done early, so I have less to do later.  For example, I have like four more Christmas presents to buy, and I will be done.  Wrapping Christmas presents is another thing that can be done early, because it can take up a lot of time, so it is best to get it out of the way.  I try to be really intentional about the holiday season and keep my mind focused on what Christmas is really about for me.  I plan advent activities for each day in December for my girls and I (and sometimes Forrest) to do.  I try to make them special, but a lot of them we continue to do year after year.  I also am really excited to join in on Naptime Diaries Advent devotional.  I find that being intentional with my time, and keeping my mind focused on the reason for the season helps with dealing with all the distractions and to-do's that come with this time of year.  When I do start to feel stressed, I usually write down all the things that are bothering me.  Often, by getting it all out on paper I feel like I can tackle things more easily, and that sometimes when I look at them I realize they aren't the big deal that I have made them in my head.  I look forward to Christmas every year, and I enjoy the time with family and friends.  I want to make sure that I don't let stress keep me from enjoying it.