Holiday Survival Guide — Kathryn's Holistic Health

Holidays are a time of family, friends, and being there for those you care about. But it has a tendency to be overshadowed with stress, obligations and negative emotions. I’m here to show you how to keep Thanksgiving, Christmas and everything in between, filled with love and happiness. To actually enjoy the holidays and stop the madness.

Holiday survival guide for a stress free Christmas season.

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That’s what we all want, right? To actually look forward to a house filled with love and to enjoy the people around you. Well I’m here to show you how to turn things around and have that joyful holiday experience.

Keep reading to find the survival tools you need this holiday season…..

Deep breathing

First let’s start off with a breathing exercise. This is something that you can use anytime you feel you are in a stressful situation or about to be in one. Have this tool at the ready.

Take a slow deep breath in for 5 seconds through your nose,
Hold for 5 seconds,
Exhale slowly for 5 seconds through your mouth,
Hold for 5 seconds.
Repeat as needed

Breathing exercises are a powerful way to calm the nervous system and turn off fight or flight mode.

If you are used to taking shallow breaths, it’s common to feel a little lightheaded when you start taking deeper breaths. This will pass as your body becomes accustomed to a greater flow of oxygen. You can always take a short break and resume the exercise once you feel normal. Remember to listen to your body and do what feels comfortable to you.

Mindset

Do you have conversations in your head with a family member that you know you don’t get along with. Are you positive they are going to say that same rude thing they do every year? Well that mindset is actually going to make that happen.

You heard that right!

You are putting that negativity out there and that hasn’t worked for you before. So here’s an opportunity to try something new.

Use the following tool when you start thinking about that person and reliving a conversation, or when you imagine having a negative conversation with them.

Immediately stop yourself. This is so hard to do, but essential!
Instead imagine that person saying something nice to you and you saying something pleasant back to them.

If that is too much to start off with, then just stop the negative conversation that is going on in your head and start thinking about something entirely different.

At this point you will most likely need to do some deep breathing and try again. This time imagine a pleasant encounter or just say a few targeted affirmations. Try “(Insert name of person) is always pleasant to be around.”

Look Within

Holidays are a time of reflection and it’s a great time to look within yourself. Take this opportunity to see what areas of your own personal growth may need some work. You may have some old resentments to resolve or some anger to put aside.

Often when we encounter people that behave in a way we don’t like, it’s because we actually have those some issues ourselves. If someone is speaking to you angrily, think about your own life and when you may exhibit anger. You will notice that what you put out in the world is reflected back to you. And you will find the same upsetting scenarios keep popping up until you resolve that quality within yourself.

That’s really why it’s happening in the first place. Look at it as an opportunity to heal yourself.

Gratitude

When we do encounter those that cause conflict and are filled with negativity, it can be so disheartening. But let’s remember that we really are lucky to have these people in our lives. By shifting into a gratitude mindset, you will begin to see wonderful things happen.

Try thinking of 3 things about this person that you are grateful for. You will notice an immediate shift!

If you are not sure how to get started with Gratitude, I have created a workbook that takes a deep dive in the the power of gratitude and how to use it to transform your life. Check it out below…

Deep Dive into the Power of Gratitude

Grab this fillable Gratitude Workbook that I specifically created to guide you on a meaningful and transformational journey toward greater self-discovery and manifestation.

Affirmations

Here’s a list of affirmations to use all season long. You can pick your favorites or customize your own. Try saying them in the morning and evening and particularly before any event.

Here are some affirmations to bring positivity, warmth, and resilience to family gatherings and holiday celebrations:

"I am grateful for the love, connection, and togetherness that the holidays bring."
"I choose to focus on the joy and love around me, letting go of expectations."
"I am centered, calm, and at peace, no matter the energy around me."
"I bring my best self to family gatherings, spreading kindness and understanding."
"I appreciate my family’s unique qualities, and I accept each person as they are."
"I am allowed to take breaks and prioritize my wellbeing during the holidays."
"I create and enjoy meaningful moments with my loved ones."
"I release any stress and welcome holiday joy and laughter."
"I respect my boundaries, and I honor my needs without guilt."
"I focus on the positives and savor each moment, big or small."
"I am resilient, and I handle any challenges with grace and understanding."
"I am free to celebrate the holidays in a way that brings me peace and joy."
"I am grateful for the love and support in my life, even if it looks different than I imagined."
"I choose compassion and patience for myself and my family members."
"I am present, soaking up each unique moment as it unfolds."
"I release past holiday tensions and embrace a new, positive experience."
"I deserve a joyful, fulfilling holiday season filled with peace."
"I appreciate the warmth and connection that the holidays inspire in my family."
"I am grateful for traditions, and I am open to creating new memories."
"I honor the season by choosing joy, gratitude, and peace."

These affirmations can serve as gentle reminders to help maintain a positive and balanced mindset during the holidays.🎄

Gift giving pressure

The pressure to get just the right gift is real. Not to mention the crowded shopping centers and financial stress. Are you certain that this is going to be the case? That you will encounter crowds, buy gifts you can’t afford, and never find “just the right gift”?

Well let’s take a moment to do a mindset shift.

Give to people with love in your heart. It’s really what we should be doing.

When you shift your energy to that of love you will find that gift giving becomes less of a stress and more pleasurable. It will be easier to discover a thoughtful gift when you are in this state. You will be in a state of flow and things will work out for you. So try coming from a place of love and not from a place of stress, dread and resentment.