Forget the Stress and Count Your Blessings

Is your holiday stress causing the holiday blues? Don’t worry, you are not alone.

According to the American Psychological Association: 

• 69% of people experience holiday stress by the feeling of having a “lack of time”
• 69% perceive a “lack of money” as causing them stress
• 51% feel stressed over the “pressure to give or get gifts”

So what do psychologists recommend to remedy holiday stress?

Some studies show that a simple exercise, called The Three Blessings, has proven to reduce depression and anxiety symptoms, while also increase a person's sense of well-being. The technique is simple: at the end of each day, think of three things that occurred that made you happy, and why you believe they happened. 

Sometimes it might be difficult to get started on this exercise. Too often we find ourselves in a rut of not seeing the positive side of anything. Start small. Maybe it would help to find the humor in a situation. What might you find to be happy about while you were standing in a cashier's line for 20 minutes? You could be grateful the other people in line used soap or deodorant. Or you could peruse the headlines on the gossip magazines and be grateful that your name isn't there. How many things can you think of?

Try counting your blessings, starting tonight. Be thankful for your home, for having a place to live. Be thankful for your bed, that you have a place to sleep. And be thankful for the night, for it's a time to unwind and relax. Sweet dreams!