6 Tips to Turn Holiday Stress into Holiday Cheer in Corpus Christi

It happens every year. In an effort to make the holidays full of good cheer, you end up full of tension instead. As Alanis Morissette sang, "Isn't it ironic?" Why not make a pre-New Year's resolution to have a truly joyful season? Here are a few of our favorite tips to keep the focus on holiday spirit while diffusing holiday stress.

It's all too easy to let holiday activities push your regular schedule off to the wayside. Familiar daily activities can actually give you a comforting sense of balance in the midst of all the chaos. Get a good workout, take the dog for a walk ... keep up with your normal activities as much as possible.  

That wise saying is never more relevant than during the holidays. You may be tempted to pack as much as you can into these few weeks in a misguided attempt to enjoy the season to its fullest. In yet another irony, you will find that the holidays become richer when you stop and take a moment to smell the holly.  

Time shared with friends and family is the most precious and meaningful aspect of the holidays. Why not start a tradition that allows you to pass that holiday spirit along to others? Volunteering at a soup kitchen or "adopting" a family in need can be more soul-satisfying than gifts, parties or any other holiday excess.

Have you idealized childhood holidays to the point of setting an impossible standard? Maybe you think family celebrations should be picture-perfect occasions straight out of a Hallmark movie. Don't obsess and micro-manage in pursuit of an unobtainable fantasy. 

Here's a big secret about the holidays that some never learn: it's OK to have down time. Spend an evening on the sofa with Netflix and a big bowl of popcorn, or linger over a good book and a latte at the local cafe. You don't have to maintain forced good cheer, either. Emotions don't take the holidays off, so don't feel guilty if you have some blue moments. 

You don't have to be a food martyr during the holidays, but you should have some restraint when it comes to cupcakes, cookies, candy and other seasonal sweets. Too much sugar will keep you on a roller coaster of quick highs and crashing lows that will take their toll, mentally and physically.

We love sharing the holidays with our Springs at Corpus Christi residents! Our special events are a great opportunity to meet your neighbors and enjoy good cheer.