Celebrating stress-free

It’s official! Halloween is over, the Hallmark channel is running its Christmas fare and, if you’re like most of us, the beginning twinges of holiday tension are setting in.

OK, stop and take a deep breath. We are not going to point out all the reasons to celebrate the season. Once you have the hustle and bustle under control, they’ll make themselves known.

Here at the Utah Association of Special Districts, it’s especially hectic. We are coming away from our 34th annual UASD convention and preparing for the January kick-off of the Utah State Legislature general session, bookending the turkey dinners and holiday festivities.

But we’ve learned a few ways to cope:

• Plan ahead. There is nothing like preparing for whatever comes your way, expecting the worst and accepting the best. If you’re already feeling financially strapped, work out a budget and stick to it, substituting home-baked goodies or charitable contributions in a friend’s name for extravagant gifts. Is time your culprit? Prioritize. Need a breather? Work it into your schedule, you do for yourself and you alone!

• Own your feelings. If you’ve had difficult times associated with the holidays in the past – the loss of a loved one, for instance – acknowledge your pain and accept it as part of the season. At the same time, give yourself permission to build new memories. Don’t let your grief isolate you from the social relationships key to healing.

• Physically ready yourself for the demands of the season. Make sure you get enough sleep. Eat healthy, leaving room for the occasional treat for upcoming parties. Maintain your exercise routines. And learn how to say no. You don’t have to accept every invitation, especially if it involves people who make you feel uncomfortable. If attending is mandatory, make it a quick stop, spending enough time to say hello but not committing the whole night to it.

• Ask for help if you need it. Some of the best holiday memories are made joining around the kitchen table, making Christmas cookies. And if you need someone to talk to, know you are not alone. Seek the professional care that can help turn the holidays into something to look forward to again!

A final note: If you haven’t started writing down your blessings each day, adopt an attitude of gratitude now. Look for ways that you can be blessing and reach out in kindness. It is amazing how the simplest things you do, flashing a smile to someone who looks like they can use it, can turn their day around … and yours, too!