Extra: Surviving the Holidays
The Holiday Season is coming up and although it is supposed to be a time of peace, love & happiness, it can be pretty stressful. Here are a few tips to help you enjoy your time, family & friends a bit more:
Good Times
1) Prep yourself mentally for meeting with family & friends. Even though you know that Aunt Edna will pinch your cheeks and tell you how much you've grown once she enters the door, deal with it & laugh at the fact that she is predictable! Make a choice to be amused by your relatives vs. annoyed by them.
2) Avoid feeling overwhelmed. Take a break every now & then and move to a less crowded part of the house. If you need to go outside for some fresh air, do it! Hang out with people you enjoy & feel comfortable being around. Maybe have Aunt Edna try out your Nintendo Wii.
3) Manage your emotions. Have a plan for what to do if emotions arise when faced with certain situations or family members. Walk away and take a few deep breaths instead of walking to the buffet table and taking a few pieces of deep-dish apple pie.
Good Food
4) Eat slowly. Try putting your fork down between each bite. Sometimes we eat so quickly that we don't let our bodies tell us that we are full! Chew slowly & enjoy your food.
5) Position yourself away from the buffet table (preferably in a sitting room on the opposite side of the house). This way, if you have to have that second helping, you will have to walk back to the table or run into one of your favorite cousins and forget that you were on your way to get more mac & cheese.
6) Avoid eating in front of the TV. It is astonishingly easy to down 1 or 2 bags of chips (yourself) while watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade or the big game. Try playing with Play-Doh, a Rubik's Cube or a Slinky instead.
Good luck, y'all & Happy Holidays! Love, peace & happiness (ha! ha!)
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