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Thanksgiving is over. We have a lot to be thankful for, but often the celebration of our freedom, our heritage and being thankful gets lost in the Christmas/Holiday hoopla. Sometimes, we lose the whole meaning of the holidays with pressures to hurry- up, shop and buy. Some people are thankful, while others will be thankful when the whole holiday hoopla will be over in January. The following are things you can do to hedge against the pressures and stress of holiday hoopla:
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- Create your own meaning for the holidays: Have your own traditions and remember what the holidays mean to you. Each of us is different. You have to know what you are celebrating. Give yourself permission to do what you want to do with people you like.
- Set limits on gifts: Many people stress out financially and feel guilty if they do not spend X dollars on everyone. For family and friends that you exchange gifts with, make an agreement on a price range that works for everyone.
- Go at your own pace: Often, neighbors, radio stations, TV commercials are urging you to buy this, hit this sale, do that. Rush, rush, rush. Take your time to do what you need to do for you and your immediate family. Go only to events you will enjoy or are a must.
- Do not compare yourself to others: Stay focused on what works for you and your family without trying to measure up to others or judge yourself by the standards of others in terms of how many gifts you buy or parties you attend.
- Keep focused on your own weight maintenance goals: Eat what you intend to eat to keep your weight under control. If you have an opportunity to eat something very special, go ahead. But do this only at special parties and limit yourself on the amount. Make sure that you are eating very healthy between occasional splurges and exercising daily if you want to avoid gaining an average of 10 lbs.
- Decorate and entertain according to your own finances, resources and energy level: There is no rule for how you celebrate holidays.
- Celebrate the joy in your life: Look around you to see what to be thankful for—freedom, safety, family, health, shelter, food, friends, love, talents, etc.
- Practice increased tolerance with family members: We don’t pick our families, yet we typically love them and end up spending time with them at this time of year. Exercise more patience and acceptance with all their quirks.
- Let go of past complaints: Stay focused on today and entertain family as if they were high government officials of a foreign state. When old wounds come up, change the channel and tell yourself to let it go. It is done and over with.
- It’s okay to say no to alcohol: You can decline invitations. You can have an alcohol- free party. You can leave early if you are with family members that drink too much. You can meet at a restaurant. You can call a cab. Don’t put yourself in a vulnerable or awkward position.
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