Orlando Therapist helps people experience anxiety-free holidays…

Before you know it, the holiday craziness has arrived! So before you know it, you’re burnt out and you’re feeling anxious. But this year, are you ready to avoid feeling stressed and anxious during the holidays?

As anxiety therapists in Orlando at Mindful Living Counseling, we are here to support you and remind you how you can be the best version of yourself during a stressful time, so you can really enjoy the holiday season.

Use the simple tips below to help to stay afloat when you’re feeling the anxiety that ultimately leads to burnout. Check in with yourself as needed and try to accomplish at least one of the items on this list. We hope that this will help you refocus your energy on what is truly valuable during the holidays. 

We gathered 21 ideas you reduce anxiety through holidays

1. Make a list of things that are most important for you.

On this list make the priorities from the most important task to the least. Establish a plan to complete the most important first and the least important last.

2. Set a specific time away for yourself to recharge. 

The holidays can be a very hectic time of the year and it can create a lot of stress and anxiety. After you’ve finished a long day of working, cooking, or taking care of the kids make sure to take some time for yourself. You can also set your alarm a few minutes earlier in the morning to start the day with 10 minutes to yourself. We recommend Guided Meditation for Anxiety: Healing Light to help reduce stress, promote emotional health, enhance self-awareness, and calm anxiety.

3. Shop online.

The hustle and bustle of shopping can cause an increase in anxiety and the large crowds can also increase your stress. Take advantage of the fact that most stores offer curbside pick up or they can deliver straight to your home at your convenience. Check out this blog post 39 Gift Ideas for People with Anxiety.

4. Book self-care appointments for yourself.

So much of the holidays are thinking about others. Give yourself a gift before all the family gatherings and set time aside so you can look and feel your best - your hair appointment, massage, or your favorite gym class.  We visited East Coast Floats and use Floating and Infrared Saunas to help people experiencing anxiety, stress, and chronic pain. Check out our blog, Looking for Alternative Treatments for Anxiety in Orlando? to read about this experience.

5. Ask for help when needed.

We try to do so much on our own and the holidays can be overwhelming enough. Reach out to your loved ones and those around you that you trust to see if they can lend you a hand or if you can carpool to places together. Don’t try to do this alone.

6. Surround yourself with positive people.

As you’re moving into a hectic season make sure to reach out to supportive friends and family. Having that positive support system around you will motivate you and keep you confident. This season of life is busy and also a time where people can become critical. Try to surround yourself with people who relate to you, understand you, and support you.

7. Exercise!

You will have a few stressful weeks and the stress can induce anxiety. Make sure you take time to move your body for a few minutes! Exercise is a great way to release that stress and anxiety from your body. Go for a bike ride, visit the nearest gym or have an at-home dance party. 

8. Don’t overcommit

So much of your time will already be consumed with holiday parties, gift exchanges, and family time. If you feel like it’s too much, don’t be afraid to say no. Only you know how much you can handle so make sure you set your boundaries. 

9. Find a special book for some distraction.

With so much going on you can easily become overwhelmed with stress or anxiety so finding a small distraction can help you relax. The journey of a great story will take you to another place where you unwind and disconnect from all the anxiety and stress. Some of our favorite reads at the moment are The Nightingale: A Novel, Educated, and The Vanishing Half.

10. Be realistic.

These next few weeks are some of the most chaotic days of the year! So this can mean you will be carrying extra stress and even though you will want to do it all, it just might be too much. So be kind to yourself and make sure you’re not setting unrealistic expectations for yourself. You may not be able to make it to every party or cook every holiday-themed cake and that’s ok too.

11. Acknowledge when you feel overwhelmed.

With so much going on it can be easy to forget that others might also be feeling stressed and anxious like you. If you’re comfortable, take some time to call a friend or chat with a loved one and share how you’ve been feeling. When the anxiety starts it can be helpful to vent to those around you and feel acknowledgment when it comes to your stress and anxiety.

12. Meditate 10 minutes a day.

Meditating once a day is a great way to help reduce stress, emotional imbalance and increase your focus. You may be feeling extra anxious or stressed during this time and this could be a great way for you to relax. Find just a few minutes during the day where you can follow a meditation for a few minutes.

13. Pace yourself when you can.

The holidays shouldn’t feel like a sprint, just like you would if you were running a marathon, don’t start too fast and don’t lose your pace. Try and remind yourself that you don’t have to finish everything in one day, take your time. If you try and finish everything at once you will start to feel anxious and stressed if you don’t finish.

14. Make a plan for your shopping trips.

Just like you have a grocery list, make a list of all the stores you need to visit. Also, try and include all the items you need to pick up on this list so you can be as efficient as possible. It can be stressful to shop for gifts, groceries, and all your holiday necessities without forgetting something! To try and ease this stress that comes with shopping, plan your shopping day beforehand so you don’t forget anything!

15. Set a budget.

With so much shopping happening during this time of year it means you’ll be spending more money! Higher expenses can create some anxiety and could even lead to making you feel very stressed out. So before things get hectic, decide how much you want to spend on food, gifts, and decorations. With a plan in hand, you can be prepared and also be comfortable with how much you will be paying.

16. Go on a walk outside and enjoy the fresh air.

Things can get a little chaotic during this time of year and some fresh air can be refreshing! Stepping outside can take you away from anything that could be causing you stress. Those few minutes outside will allow you to breathe some fresh air and help clear your mind. Try listening to this meditation while taking a stroll outdoors Finding Calm Within the Storm: A Guided Meditation for Anxiety.

17. Take some time to volunteer around your community.

This is a time to celebrate and also a time to be thankful for all of the great things in your life. You may be feeling stressed or anxious about all of the preparations or even overwhelmed about how much you still have to do so think about finding some time to volunteer! Giving back to your community is a great way to remember what the holidays are all about and help you shift the mindset from stressed to thankful.

18. Set boundaries.

Overbooking yourself is always the theme when it comes to the holiday season and it seems to be what everyone does! instead of being the person that is “so busy” take the initiative this year to plan for a healthier schedule where you can be present without feeling anxious or exhausted. Attending or hosting any of your commitments will feel good when you have set limits for yourself and everyone around you. You can learn more about setting boundaries in this blog post 5 Simple Steps to Setting a Boundary19. Remind yourself to be thankful.

19. Write down everything you are grateful for.

You still have a bunch of things to finish and you start to feel stressed about not finishing everything in time. So prepare a simple yet thoughtful list of things you are grateful for during this holiday season. When the stress of hosting or cooking becomes overwhelming, think about the list that you made. Remind yourself of all the wonderful things you have to be thankful for and see if you’re able to release some of that overwhelming stress.

20. Get plenty of sleep.

Your schedule will never be as busy as it is during the holiday season! So you will have to work twice as hard to find time to catch up on your sleep so you continue to be productive. Being well-rested means you took the right amount of time to decompress and relax which will help with any stress or anxiety. This blog post is great to help you get some rest Can't Sleep? 45 Sleep Hacks to Help You Get Your Zzz's. Make it a priority to recharge every day during this busy time so you can be present and productive.

21. Live in the moment and enjoy! 

Now it’s finally time to celebrate! The holidays are finally here and you’ve done so much preparation for this moment so now, enjoy it. All the anticipation and hard work that last few weeks are for these few days of special moments with the people you love most.

The reason we were able to put this list together is that we have also experienced feeling stressed, anxious, and burned out from the holidays and we can relate! We hope that this list helps you navigate this time of the year and gives you some relief when you start to feel stressed or anxious. Take all of these tips and use them as best you can so you can enjoy the holiday season!

Interested in learning about working with an Orlando Therapist?

Maybe once the holidays are over you might be ready to talk to someone. Schedule your free 15-minute consultation here.

Additional Resources for Ways to Reduce Anxiety

Anxiety Therapist Shares: 10 Gift Ideas for People With Anxiety

Guide to Choosing Your Word of the Year

How to Deal with Difficult Family Through the Holidays

Anxiety Therapist Shares: Gift Ideas for People With Stress and Anxiety

7 Tips for Reducing Stress Through a Pandemic Holiday

21 De-Stressing Strategies that will Transform your Holidays

Gratitude with Some Attitude: Going Beyond the Boring Ole Gratitude List - Part 1

Gratitude with Some Attitude: Going Beyond the Boring Ole Gratitude List - Part 2

Gratitude with Some Attitude: Going Beyond the Boring Ole Gratitude List - Part 3

Mindful Living Counseling Orlando is a trauma healing center. Our Orlando Therapy Services include anxiety therapy, trauma counseling, eating disorder recovery, teen counseling, and healing from toxic relationships. At Mindful Living Counseling Orlando, we use a down-to-earth approach infused with cutting-edge therapies that go beyond traditional talk therapy so clients can heal at the root level and experience lasting change. Feel free to access one of our Guided Meditations to help you feel settled and calm now.