PP 201: 3 Ways to Overcome Holiday Anxiety

Transcription not yet cleaned up but thanks for checking it out!

Hey there, as a mom of five I just want to give you a heads up if you are listening with children, that this episode may not be suitable for those of a younger age. This episode of the Positive Productivity podcast isn’t necessarily going to be as upbeat as some of the others. However, I find it really important to address the topic of overcoming holiday anxiety.

I know that I personally have struggled from holiday anxiety on many occasions, and I would find it hard to believe that none of the listeners are experiencing it now or that you haven’t been familiar with it in the past.

Just to give you an idea of one Christmas, in 2013, I remember specifically leaving my in laws house with the hundred dollar present that they’d given us as we were leaving the door. I remember my husband and I taking a deep breath, a sigh of relief knowing that we had $100 now to purchase our Christmas dinner and to buy presents to put in the stockings of our children.

On our way home, we rushed to the grocery and actually found it closed. And then we rushed to Walmart where we literally, or I should say Dave literally had five minutes to do the shopping. He said it was like an episode of Supermarket Sweep, if you’ve ever seen that show, where he was running down the aisles, just throwing things into the cart, anything that he could possibly find to make our Christmas meal for the next day. Somehow I even had a couple moments to run into Dollar Tree to find goodies for the kids Christmas stockings. But at the end of those two quick shopping trips, we were left just a couple dollars.

This has not been a rare occurrence in our family. And it would be an understatement that it’s gotten me down in the past. If you’re struggling with this this year, or if you know of somebody who is please listen to the next few suggestions that I have to help you overcome holiday anxiety.

3 Ways to Overcome Holiday Anxiety – #1

My first suggestion for you is to volunteer for those who are less fortunate, no matter what we’re doing. throughout our lives, there’s always somebody who’s worse off than we are. Not even a year before we met, my husband was actually homeless and living out of his car in Fargo, North Dakota in the middle of winter. Just around the corner from where you live, there might be someone who was involuntarily homeless, and doing anything that they can do to put food on their table and get a roof over their head. You may not have even $5 that you can offer them. But I know that somewhere you might have a couple pennies, or even a can of food that you may be able to offer to them. Or around the corner from your house. There may be a homeless shelter or a food bank or a food pantry or even a soup kitchen that you can volunteer at. If you have a few moments of spare, I definitely recommend seeing if they can accept any help at this time of year. And I’m almost 100% confident that they will not turn you down. The gift of your time is more valuable than you Think and I know that by helping others you will be able to help yourself in the process.

3 Ways to Overcome Holiday Anxiety – #2

If you’re struggling to find a way to purchase holiday gifts whether they be Christmas or Hanukkah or whatever holiday you celebrate, I want to remind you in method number two of the value of homemade gifts. So many of us know how to craft items with our hands, whether they be woodworking items or knit items, even paper crafts. In the gift of a homemade item can mean so much to the person that you’re giving it to. Last year, one of my clients gave me a hat and a scarf that her mother had met and I gotta tell you, this hat and scarf is so incredibly warm. And even in my closet, I have a scarf that my mom needed me more than a decade ago.

And my children love wearing the scarf because it is so incredibly warm. I have A picture hanging over my desk that my boys and my husband painted for me five or six years ago, and I absolutely love it. So if you’re struggling to figure out a way that you can actually purchase presents, I want you to stop worrying about it. Even if you have some flour and sugar in your kitchen, and a running tab, you can make cookies and give those out instead, don’t feel pressured to purchase presence, when you can make something that’s going to be appreciated so much more.

3 Ways to Overcome Holiday Anxiety – #3

Method number three is what I believe to be the most important and that is to remember the meaning of the holiday. Personally, I’m a Christian, and sometimes I get so turned off that people are so into Christmas for the presence and not for the true meaning as the birth of Jesus. look past the greed of presence this holiday season and remember why we are celebrating it in the first place. Make it a point To visit your religious institution, whether it be a church, or synagogue, or wherever you visit, and really get in tune with what the spirit of the season actually means. If you’re still having trouble overcoming holiday anxiety, then please visit my website at KIM SUTTON comm forward slash p p 201. And leave a comment below and I will do what I can to help you through the anxiety you may be facing. Now with all this said, Go forth and make it a positive and a productive day.