We all talk about stress all year long.
When was the last time you used the word stress in a sentence?
Are you finding yourself using it more as we come upon the December holidays?
Yes.
Most of us do and it is so counterproductive the way in which we do this. We’ve all lived through many holiday seasons at this point in our lives, even if you are only 17 years old and reading this let alone someone a bit beyond that time in life. The question is — what have you learned about how to deal with the stress effectively? And perhaps more importantly, what haven’t you learned?
Take a moment here, follow these 3 steps:
1. Consider how tense and tired you are feeling. What are you doing to tune in and acknowledge that you need some relief, that whatever you are working on that is so important, it cannot ever be as important as your health and well-being? There is nothing that trumps your wellness. Nothing. Without your well-being, nothing is possible. Your first step is to appreciate this reality and then pick up the pencil, list 3 things that you would just love to do for your self right now. Hold that pencil and schedule one of them to happen within the next 24 hours. Think you cannot manage to make it happen because there is too much on your list to get done first?
Okay, just remember that if you have a coronary today, you will have no choice but to abandon your schedule and make time for your recovery. Be proactive, make the time, schedule it right now even if it is only for 90 minutes.
for example:
a slow paced walk in a park,
a hot steam at a local spa followed by a great 50 minute massage,
fireside quiet time with a cup of hot tea,
a nap, a bubble bath,
a cuddle session with a beloved,
a round of your favorite athletic activity be it rock climbing or football with good friends.
2. Think about who it is that you spend time around and how joyful or miserable they are and make a conscious decision to either attempt to brighten their mood or step aside from their negative influence and seek the company of those who introduce happiness in your direction. We all have the experience of being in the presence of people who pull our joy index down and leave us feeling sad or angry or lost or depressed. 
However, life gives us choices. Consider yours with compassion for your own self and your well being.
for example:
plan activities with people who are pure fun,
tune into the conversations around you that are uplifting,
plug into iTunes and some music or a seminar that is a good news, uplifting event,
think about the people who amuse you, bring a smile to your face, and call them on the p[hone for some chat time.
3. Bring every bit of good energy into that wonderful head of yours and do only the most positive and loving self talk available–you deserve to have good conversations with yourself. Stop and think about that for a second–who do you reserve positive conversation time for? Is there any one who needs a positive dialogue from you and with you more than you? How often do you allow it to take place? The funny thing is that most people do not think it is necessary but they are engaging in the negative chatter on an unconscious level nonstop. You can turn it around immediately and make your self talk positive, rendering you absolutely happy.
for example:
believe that you cannot afford the luxury of a negative thought,
if you cannot say something nice, say nothing at all,
adopt the Dale Carnegie method with yourself and consider how you can win friends and influence people starting with you.
Life is about building your inner strength. My work, Build the Strength Within, guides you on a step by step journey to tap your best inner strength and develop it into what you need. Give yourself and those you love the most loving opportunity this holiday season to enjoy this life as never before.
