Holiday Stress: Five Ways to Find Peace

Holiday stress is the number one complaint that summarizes every trigger for it: large crowds, extended family gatherings, financial strain, and maxed-out schedules.

You’ve got kids now, and each of the grandparents has called to ask about your plans for the holiday. Stress doesn’t begin to show until the school sends home its shorter day schedule for the week and your boss hasn’t approved your time off. You’ve got deadlines and are juggling between the normal day-to-day obligations and the extra pizazz the holidays call for.

Work has a potluck sign-up in the break room. The school requests volunteers for their annual Winter Festival. Church has the annual tea coming up, and then there are two potlucks and a canned food drive to attend. The kids want to go ice skating, There’s the tree lighting, the parades, three Christmas parties, and someone decides to celebrate their child’s birthday in December.

This doesn’t even compare to the dread you feel about gathering with them again this year. To call last year a disaster would be putting it lightly. You don’t know how you’re going to make it through one more meal with them after all that happened last year during the annual holiday gathering.

Or maybe you’re single. Your life seems to have a lot going on, but people look at you differently this time of year. During the holiday season, everyday things you enjoy suddenly become holiday stress. You’re thrown questions like, “Still working there, eh? When are you going to settle down?” “Ok, when am I going to get some grandbabies?”

You are volunteered to be in charge of things (because everyone else is busy with their own family) and cut out of things because “it’s a family thing, really just for the kids.” Even work treats you differently, expecting you’ll somehow be less serious (everyone just assumes you’ll not be interested and can’t cook) and overly committed at the same time (taking advantage of your fewer obligations to book you through the heavy holiday rush and overtime hours).

Then there’s your family gatherings, if you decide to go this year. You aren’t sure where you belong, not fitting in with the kids or the adults. Everyone is getting older, and life just feels sad/uncomfortable around them.

What if there was a way to find heavenly peace whether or not the night is silent? How can we prep for the holiday stress and not be overwhelmed by it this year? Below are five ways you can seek a peaceful holiday season no matter how full, or empty, your calendar is.

Five Ways To Find Peace Amid The Stress Of The Holidays

Number One: Worship

My number one peacebuilder for the holiday season is to spend time each day in worship.

Spending time in worship is a key way to connect with God in heaven who is the maker of and giver of peace. Thank Him for who He is, His salvation, and His presence. Focus on a new attribute of God and a new promise of God each day or find one of each to be this year’s holiday season message for your heart to stir up praise all season long.

Seek Him first this holiday season and rest in His presence as you worship the God Almighty who offered salvation through His son. Remember that He has done great things for you, and He knows all levels of stress, fear, grief, disappointment, and anger.

Spend time each day in worship, multiple times a day. Refresh your mind with the attributes and promises and experience the peace of God wash over you, protecting your mind and heart from the holiday stress.

Number two: Add time for both sleep and movement

Sleep is important in stress reduction efforts because it resets the body and renews the mind. The holiday rush can provide ample opportunity to forgo sleep. I want to encourage you to resist this where possible! Put sleep back on the priority list during these next few months.

Another thing about the winter season, some people take to their beds all the more. While sleep can be great for stress reduction and overall health, it is not to be overdone. Trying to move your body each day for 20-40 minutes in an energy-exerting way can effectively reduce stress levels and increase happy chemicals.

Number three: Link hydration with prayer

Believe it or not, dehydration is not only easily developed, but it is also detrimental to your ability to function in multiple ways-including stress management. In as little as thirty minutes in the hot sun, one can become dehydrated.

Translate that to a hectic season while bundled up and you’ve got similar results. It can be difficult to know you’re dehydrated because you might not notice at first. A good rule of thumb is to know that if you are thirsty, you’re already dehydrated.

Drinking lots of water all at once is not the answer though. Taking in small portions throughout the day works best. This helps you avoid an over-full bladder and making tons of trips to the bathroom, too.

When you consider drinking small amounts of water throughout the day, you can add in prayer at the same time and link them together in your mind. This way, you can pray throughout the day while you hydrate – two birds with one stone! It creates a built-in system for you to not only refresh your body but to refresh your mind and spirit as well.

Prayer helps create peace by allowing you to pour out your stress into God’s hands, sense His presence, and keep your mind focused on His kingdom. Praying throughout the holiday season will help you build peace and avoid the burnout the holiday stress can create.

Number four: Spend five minutes deep breathing

Spending time in busy places or all alone can induce different types of stress. Physical activity can reduce our mental stress. Studies have shown that deep, belly breathing (in other words, taking the time to inhale fully and exhale fully) signals the body to relax.

Most stress changes your breathing immediately. It can speed up your breathing or stop it. Whether you are experiencing stress triggers happening around you or the stress is mounting from your thoughts, taking a breath can impact it for the better.

Studies have also shown that deep breathing for five minutes (yes, set the timer) can lower your stress hormones for up to four hours afterward. So, whether you’ve got a meal to go through or you are just looking to finally get some sleep, take the five minutes before you start and set yourself up for a peaceful time.

Number five: Reach out and connect

Holidays are about getting together with others. For many, that is part of what is so stressful about them. You could be stressing about not having someone to meet up with this year or about having tension with someone who will be around. Either way, an important way for you to access God’s peace is to keep connected with His Church.

Holiday stress, no matter what time, can be managed positively with help and support. This is true for all of life. We’ve already talked about reaching out through prayer and connecting with God, so this tip is specifically focusing on people.

So, don’t know who to reach out to? Consider someone who might fit any or all of these:

• They will pray for you.
• They can point you to Christ.
• They will check in on you.
• They will keep you accountable.
• They can make you laugh.
• They will listen, whether or not they agree with you.

One other option is reaching out to a Christian counselor who can provide a space for you to talk through the grief, anger, and/or anything else that is hindering your peace this holiday season. This article presented just five ways to find peace. Therapists and counselors can work with you to search for ways to best support you during this time. Check out Orange County Christian Counseling for more information.