How to Enjoy the Holidays With A Positive Attitude
Are you lost trying to live up to the expectations we have for the holidays? If you’re like so many, you long to enjoy the season with a positive attitude.
And it doesn’t help that the media gives us undue stress by projecting images of the perfect Christmas that we feel we need to emulate.
- The house is festively decorated to the max
- Packages are all crisply wrapped with matching bows
- Platters of perfectly prepared food are expertly garnished and appear to be straight off the Food Channel
- Children and family are all perfectly dressed, and hair styled just so
- Everyone is well-rested and smiling from ear to ear
- And there isn’t any fighting or bickering amongst the holiday partakers…….None. Whatsoever!
It’s no wonder we feel defeated before we even get started! Your mood can rapidly change from a jolly one to one from the Grinch that hated Christmas. Perhaps you need to take a step back and discover how you can enjoy the holidays with a calm and cheerful spirit.
Why Does Our Attitude Change From Charming To Hateful?
The holidays are stressful for many. The media fills our heads with what our holidays SHOULD be. It is not realistic to think you can have it all that perfect. Be real with what is happening in your life and scale back the pressure you put on yourself.
Do not let expectations rob you of your joy during this exciting and festive time of year. We tend to compare ourselves to those shown in the media or the adorable Christmas postcards where families are smiling and getting along so well with one another. As you thumb through those pictures, remember that happy photos don’t necessarily mean happy people.
Others have painful memories at Christmas as they miss loved ones or remember a disappointing Christmas of years past. Sometimes we need to take stock of the most important parts of the holiday to have an enjoyable Christmas.
With all of the bustling about, we often forget to take care of ourselves. When we don’t feel well-rested, we tend to take it out on others, and the dread of the holiday starts to settle in.
Tips To Stay Positive And Enjoy The Holidays
So what can we do to make the holidays happier? This isn’t a checklist to add MORE to your plate, but rather to evaluate and reconsider what you are doing each holiday. Follow these tips to enjoy your holiday with a positive attitude.
1. Identify What A Happy Christmas Looks Like To You
Take some time to consider what a happy holiday looks like to you. If you are picturing yourself and your family the way the media portrays a perfect Christmas, you may be setting yourself up for disappointment. What is realistic for you? If you are working full time, you may not have time to bake cookies, send out Christmas cards, hand-make your gifts, etc. You will end up exhausted. You may find that you won’t be your best self come Christmas morning if you allow yourself to become overwhelmed.
Consider how you can adjust to meet the items that mean the most to you. Try asking each member of the family the ONE thing that will make their Christmas bright. Then incorporate that into the plans. You may find that no one really cares if you send out Christmas cards, but making a gingerbread house is what makes their holiday meaningful.
Resist the urge to compare yourself to others. Make your family’s Christmas your own. I’m here to tell you that it is OKAY to play out your holiday in the way you see fit. If you don’t think about what makes you happy about the holidays, you may end up feeling defeated and disenchanted.
By changing your mindset of what a Merry Christmas is to your family, you will feel the stress lift off your shoulders, and peace enter your soul.
2. Focus On Self Care
Often, when we get overwhelmed, the first thing that goes by the wayside is taking care of ourselves. I beg you to make self-care a priority. Start your day with some quiet time to yourself to prioritize the day and conquer the day with intention.
The holidays bring about indulgent food which, if left unchecked, can make you feel awful. By all means, partake in these goodies, but be sure to balance them with nutrient-dense foods as well. Your body will thank you!
Be sure to plan time to get outside and exercise. The winter can be an enchanting time to be outside if you have the proper warm apparel to wear. A walk outside not only gets the blood flowing, being in nature calms the soul and brings a smile to your face more readily. Not only does walking have wonderful physical benefits, but it also has many mental benefits as well. Giving yourself the time to walk allows your mind to relieve anxiety, improve your mind, and boost creativity. By having a consistent walking routine, you are more apt to develop more healthy habits along the way. Find out more in Top Benefits of a Walking Routine to get started now.
By sticking to your self-care routine, you will be much more able to enjoy the holidays with a calm attitude, and don’t forget to schedule a quiet bubble bath for yourself along the way.
3. Be Grateful
I forget where I read this about Black Friday, but it made me ponder for a moment. “There is an irony of American’s going out in a frenzy searching for the best deals the first day after spending a whole day being thankful for what they have.” This gives you pause and reflection on what the meaning of Christmas is all about.
Gratitude is the most powerful method of increasing our well-being. Often we get too caught up in the day-to-day activities and emotions, which leave us complacent with our thought processes. Without training ourselves to look for things to be grateful for, we tend to only experience the negative aspect.
Without gratitude for what we have during the holidays, we may overspend and lose touch with what is really important. Read the Best Tips To Have Gratitude With Serendipity to discover how having gratitude keeps us with a positive attitude.
4. Give More To Enjoy The Holidays With A Positive Attitude
Being generous not only benefits those that you are giving to but also ourselves.
Generous individuals report being happier, healthier, and more satisfied in their lives, allowing them to be more productive both at home and professionally.
You can give a simple smile and “thank you” as a gift of generosity easily given. Read Practice Generosity |A Core Value to get more easy tips to give more.
5. Evaluate Your Traditions
Going back to pinpointing what a happy Christmas looks like to your family, you may evaluate your traditions, eliminate some, and add new ones.
We evolve with time. Our kids grow up and move away, grandchildren may be added to the mix, or our family dynamics may change with time. Just as life evolves, our traditions from before might not be befitting now.
Maybe you don’t need to cook a large turkey or ham anymore, but a lasagna will be a new favorite. You get to decide how to make your Christmas cheery, bright, and tailor-made for your family.
Final Thoughts On How To Enjoy The Holidays With A Positive Attitude
By being intentional and fostering a positive mindset, we can enjoy the holidays with a positive attitude. By defining satisfaction, taking care of ourselves, practicing gratitude, giving more, and starting new traditions, you can turn stress into a season of joy.
You can shift your attitude from one of exhaustion and complaining to one of joy and calm. Remember that you don’t have to do all of what we perceive is expected of us. The best gift you can give those dear to you and yourself is the gift of presence, not necessarily presents.
Leave a comment below on how you navigate the holidays and remain positive.
I love the idea of asking “each family member the ONE thing that will make their Christmas bright”…rather than a list of expectations set by ourselves to try pleasing everyone.