7 Ways to Manage Stress Over the Holidays

Great aricle. While all the tips are good I personally like taking deep breaths.

Focusing on the breath can by itself do wonders in relieving stress. Breath is the natural mechanism of the body to cope with stress. For instance, when we sigh, it is the response of the body in dealing with stress.

My latest conversation: Carpet Steam Cleaner

Congratulations Lori on your 100th post!!! And thank you, so needed this one! ;)

My latest conversation: Some Wise Words from the Late Steve Jobs

Hi Lori,

A big congratulations on reaching 100 posts! I'm nearly there, currently standing at 91, so I'll be joining you at this milestone soon ;-)

Stress over the holidays is a killer at the best of times, as I've found myself on previous years. My solution is to ensure I have consistent breaks, to be with myself and recharge my batteries. I don't want to burn out, so breaks are a great way to prevent this.

Well done Lori :-)

Congratulations my friend! 100 posts...quite an accomplishment:) And I, like many others, will be with you as you soar into the thousands.

I chill out and relax at this time of year. I find that by focusing on the "reason for the season", I'm able to bring a calm to many around me who are busytizzy stressed. And it's always been this way for me, even when my kids were young. No frantic scramble to find gifts...they seemed to find me, throughout the year. You see, I don't "Christmas shop"...I buy (or make) things when they appear to me as the "perfect gift" for someone I know. I do the same thing with cards. I have a box FULL of cards that I know one day will be just the right special something to send along to someone.

I actually don't wait until the new year for "resolutions"...I actually don't make them. I start now to purge and clean and tidy things up. Today, I've gone through half of the emails that I've kept in my inbox and filed appropriately or deleted, cleaned up my reader and gotten rid of all those things that "I'll read one day". I find that, by allocating a timeframe (I allocated this morning), a lot can get accomplished on task.

What's that got to do with relaxation? It's actually my way of creating the mental clarity and space to further enjoy this time of year, with a sense of accomplishment and purpose. I LOVE this time of year...I shall breathe deeply, smile and revel in all that is. Cheers! Kaarina

Congrats Lori for your 100th post, I am sure you are going to do 1000. Then you will remember me saying that :).

Best wishes for holidays as well :)

Number 100! You're changing the world one reader, one post at a time!

Truth is, there's nothing about the holidays that stresses me out much. I love the decorations, shopping for gifts (ok, maybe I sometimes get a little stressed on the gifts), the music, the lights, the tree, the food, the movie specials, the tradition, the time off (ah, the perks of being a teacher!), the family, even the crowds. The whole thing is just a kick to me!

Still, a cup of hot cocoa, a comfortable couch, and cozy wife, snuggling with my 5 year-old, family all around and some good music playing in the background and stress is out the door for me!

I want to know what this place will look like at 1000 posts. Should be fun to watch. Holiday music stresses me out- it is like nails on a chalkboard.

But Google Hangouts relax me, so that is a good thing.

My latest conversation: The Greatest Dad Blogger Of Them All

Congratulations on the 100th post!

For me, I know I'll have to find alone time once the brothers arrive. I enjoy their company, but I need space. Everybody's much happier if I've had some alone time. :)

My latest conversation: factotum llc. - writing & social media consulting by erin feldman

Here's to many 100's of future blog posts at this most awesome of places and endless feelings of peace and contentment to it's generous hostess....CHEERS Lori on your 100th post! xo

I am fairly certain that most people are going to be able to closely relate to this post. The levels of our stress is inconsequential...what matter is that for each of us, the stress takes it's toll. I've long been an advocate for the power of the breath and so, I love the combination of the two videos on breathing and on maintaining energy balance with our yin and yang. And, while I'm a tea kind of girl, the thought of some hot cocoa is VERY appealing (I'll let you know how it tastes without the milk) And, you just KNOW that I am going to be all over the powers of a smile ;-) ....it is what I profess on a daily basis to our patients!! And, every one of those 8 reasons is absolutely correct...my favorite being that smiling is contagious!! I love catching other people's smiles ;-) The hardest "exercise" for me to do is probably, ironically, the one that appeals to me the most and that is to curl up on the sofa in front of the Christmas tree (and I'd add, put a fire in the fireplace) and take a nap....I have such a difficult time stopping everything during the day and taking a nap...not just at Christmas time but anytime. I find it so difficult to justify a nap in the middle of the day and yet....the imagery of the sofa, the Christmas tree with lights on, a roaring fire, some cuddly dogs nearby is SO appealing...we'll see....

Thank you Lori...I am very grateful for your friendship!

Claudia

Congratulations Lori, 100 is quite an accomplishment and you're just getting started!

I wonder what this place will look like at 1,000 ??

Regardless, I know it will be warm here : )

Happy Holidays to you and yours!

Hi Lori

November 2010 3 Post 3 Quotes endless possibilities

“Many special things have happened in my life since, but his caring gesture on that quiet evening touches me still.”

“I know it’s not advisable to equate eating with comfort, but once in a while I don’t think it hurts. Shakespeare said: “There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so”. I agree.”

“I love the smell of old books and the hushed atmosphere. I am stilled by the near-reverence and awe I feel to be in the presence of so many books; books that I can take home with me! The possibilities for learning, for enjoyment, for escape are dizzying!”

I love these post they represent what is great in life . The Joy in the moment of living an ordinary extraordinary life.

You started out your post today with the word Perfection. If their is one word that could ruin a Christmas it would be that word, that Idea taken up from the past and laid upon the future like a funeral Vail . Or maybe perfection to you is just being alive and enjoying life as it is with all its possibilities for learning, for enjoyment . You never know what peanut butter molasses in a dish is going to turn out like, you never know when somebody is going to reach out with a caring hand, you never know when the next great book will be placed into your hand. You can know that something good is going to happen and that you are going to be present to enjoy it to the full.

Congratulations on 100 post November 2010 was a great month for the blogosphere Lori arrived here

Love John

Merry Christmas

PS Don't think "Comfort and Joy" know "Comfort and Joy"

Fascinating how such a beautiful time of year can be at the same time so stressful. This year I've let go of a lot of the 'have to's' about holiday time. It's just not about that external stuff and I decided to take a stand! Gotta keep reminding myself to stop and breathe, so this list of strategies will come in very handy :)

Actually, the end of the year can be very stressful for me and it's not necessarily the holidays that make it so, but they exacerbate it.

January 1 is a very common renewal date for commercial insurance. Appx 60% of my income is 'negotiated' at this time. In addition to my accounts being at risk from competitors, I am also out trying to seek new business as well. Because of the holidays and people wanting to take time off, sometimes it is hard just getting an audience to make it happen.

I was seriously challenged on two renewals this year and both were long time and loyal customers. However, there were some external forces that were putting both at risk. Tuesday morning of this week, we finally got the word we were ok on both. Whew............

Needless to say, this is the one time of year we typically do not take any time off; not when it can affect your income by that much.

I like them and the social events it produces and the family and friends I see, but I'm ready to hit the road running for 2012 if you want to know the truth.

100 posts, huh? And this is all you could come up with; I thought you were going to do that feature on me.............:). Congratulations, you are a survivor.

Hi Lori! Congrats on your 100th post! You've built a powerful community here. I love all of these tips for reducing stress. Especially the hot cocoa and a nap in front of the tree. That sounds like a fantasy because I have 3 small kids who don't believe in sleep for ANYBODY! :)