'Tis the Season For...Stress?
It’s that time of year again, the excitement, the lights, the gatherings — we have entered the holiday season!
I’m not quite sure when the holidays were hijacked, especially Christmas, but no longer is it simply an adoration of our Savior. Through the years, Christmas has taken on a new trajectory, and with that, full calendars and lots of expectations.
We live in a world where we are bombarded with ideas and information! Social media gives us an endless supply of gifting, DIY-ing, decorating, and celebrating ideas. Traditional advertising entices us to spend in abundance, and every year it seems like Christmas displays go up earlier. Let’s not forget the Hallmark Channel and its idyllic heartwarming stories, which set the tone for the season.
Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with any of those, but our human tendencies cause us to think we can have and do it all.
It’s no wonder stress, and anxiety have come to the forefront. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, 40 million Americans are impacted yearly, and anxiety disorder is the most diagnosed mental health issue.
“God did not design us to work 24/7. There is a reason we have day and night. God’s plan has always included REST and RELATIONSHIP.”
Three Tips to Stress Less This Season
Personally, looking back I’m not quite sure when it happened but somewhere between babies and teenagers, Christmas became overwhelming. Life, in general, seemed overwhelming.
Christmas 2018 was the first one without my mother. It was a hard year for me, and I was grieving. However, I didn’t want to miss a beat and somehow ruin the holidays for everyone else.
I stuffed my grief down and tried to do all the things . . . shopping, baking, parties, exchanges, etc. I wanted to create that picture-perfect Christmas or at least the one I envisioned in my head.
It was too much. In my effort to do it all, I was tired, angry, and sad. Depression and anxiety set in, and I entered a new season.
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” Ecclesiastes 3:1
You don’t have to fall into the hustle and bustle of the season. Here are three tips to stress less this Christmas (and experience a richer celebration of Jesus’ birth):
1. Practice the pause.
You need to take time for soulful self-care! That will look different for each of us, but you cannot pour from an empty cup. Your body needs to be taken care of physically, mentally, and spiritually.
There are so many ways to accomplish this but getting quiet before the Lord is vital. Personally, some of my most precious moments come on my exercise mat when I am alone with Jesus.
Try RevWell TV for faith-based workouts to help you de-stress and center your heart on Jesus.
2. Learn to say no.
Your time is valuable, and you don’t have to do it all. Set boundaries.
Ephesians 5 warns us of the ways of the world and cautions us to be wise. The ways of the world can distract you from what’s most meaningful.
“Be very careful, then, how you live -not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” Ephesians 5:15-16
Think about what will serve you well this season. Prioritize engagements and avoid the draw and pressure of people pleasing.
The heart of Christmas really is simple.
“And she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger.” Luke 7:2
Christmas is about Jesus! It’s about the birth of our Savior, the hope that we have because of a promise fulfilled. This leads to our final topic . . .
3. Focus on meaningful moments.
You don’t have to throw away your traditions. Simply scale back and leave some breathing room.
Our family used to go to the tree farm to pick a tree, set it up, and decorate it with every ornament we had accumulated over the years.
Two years ago, we bought a pre-lit tree, and last year we didn’t put ornaments on it at all. It was okay! It didn’t ruin Christmas, and we still enjoyed decorating and pulling out treasures -we simply scaled back.
In this season, less is more. Less time running around frantically trying to get it all done. More time with those closest to you.
Bring the heart of the Christmas season to full light. Dust off the Bible and read the story of Christ the Newborn King. Maybe it’s time to try something new, to make new traditions and memories.
Prayer
Father God, thank you for the gift of your Son. Help us to be wise, Lord, to take note of the season we are in, and to embrace it. Lord, guard us against getting caught up in the busyness of doing and grant us discernment and contentment in the midst of it all. Help us, Lord, to REST and BE PRESENT as we see and share more of You this season.
Donna Jean Long is a Revelation Wellness Instructor from Platoon 25. Donna and her husband Jonathan live in NE Ohio with their two children. Donna strives to encourage women to Live Their Happiest & Healthiest Life.
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