Does holiday stress ever take the joy out of the holiday season for you?
It’s November 1st, friends, which, for many of you, might mean that you’ve officially switched from harvest mode to full-on holiday mode.
And with that switch, you might also feel the beginnings of holiday stress. 😵💫
With that in mind, I invited a special guest to do a bonus episode with me. I interviewed my cousin, Dr. Amber Price. Amber is a relationship researcher and online educator focused on helping busy moms rediscover their purpose, reclaim who they are, and reconnect with the people they love.
I recently heard that Amber is hosting a Holiday Challenge that starts November 11, 2024, where she will work with a small group of women to reimagine their holiday seasons so they can have an experience they will love (not just their kids 😉).
Once I heard about this challenge, I knew I wanted to hurry and get Amber on the podcast so you can join it and work with her if it sounds like it could be helpful for you.
If I could have one wish for the holidays, it would be for your holiday stress to melt away as you reclaim this time of year and make it beautiful, joyful, and peaceful for you. 🎁
Before I jump into Amber’s takeaways, I think it’s important to explain some of the background on Amber’s research.
Amber’s dissertation focused on the question of whether or not we need connection more or autonomy more. What she found is fascinating: we need both! Not only do we need both, but there is a positive correlation between how autonomous we feel with how connected we feel.
In other words, Amber’s research found that the lower the feelings of autonomy, the lower the feelings of connection.
Hearing this blew my mind. It aligns perfectly with the three pillars of my Self-Assured Motherhood Program: 1) Know Yourself, 2) Honor Your Needs, and then 3) Love Your People. The more autonomous we are, the better we can love our people!
And what better time of year to love our people than the holidays?
That’s why I asked Amber to come and teach us – through her research – how to avoid holiday stress so that we can connect better with our people.
3 Tips to Help Avoid Holiday Stress
1. Evaluate the Source of Your Expectations.
Why do you expect yourself to continue with certain traditions, to carry the weight of holiday planning, or to attend every single holiday event in your town? Where do those expectations come from? Is it social media, family of origin, religious traditions, or even your kids or your partner? Knowing the source of your expectations can help you to evaluate whether or not you want to continue holding on to them. This will give you a greater sense of autonomy because you will be able to decide if you yourself want to choose that expectation, or if you want to set it aside. Intentionally choosing what you will do or not do during the holiday season helps you avoid feelings of resentment and burnout.
2. Notice When You are Self-Silencing.
If you find yourself stifling who you really are so that other people will approve of you, this may eventually lead to resentment and even blow-ups in relationships. You may think that you are being kind by deferring to everyone else’s needs and opinions, but you are actually denying them the chance to truly know and connect with you, which is not kind. Speak up for what you want and don’t want this holiday season–not because your opinion matters more than everyone else’s in your family, but because your opinion matters as much as everyone else’s in your family. And don’t forget what Amber said in the episode: Sometimes we self-silence by not listening to our bodies or respecting our own energetic limits, so keep that in mind if you are tempted to overschedule yourself because everything sounds fun, but you know your body needs more care.
3. Reclaim Your Autonomy.
When you recognize ways that you are trying to live up to other’s expectations and that you are self-silencing, the remedy is to reclaim ownership of yourself. Allow yourself to proactively plan how you’d like the holidays to look and feel this year. What traditions would you like to keep? Let go of? What feelings would you like to prioritize? After answering these questions, take baby steps toward making it happen.
I hope you can keep these takeaways in mind as you plan ahead to have a peaceful holiday season. Here’s to stress-free holidays! 🥂
Save this summary to Pinterest so you can use it later! 👇
What did you think of these takeaways to help avoid holiday stress from Dr. Amber Price? Do you have any tips to share? Comment below!
***
Related Episodes like this one on How to Avoid Holiday Stress:
- How to Help your Kids Stay Sane this Holiday Season // Carrie Scott, LMFT
- 210: Simple Holiday Traditions to Connect Generations // Jack & Elaine Westover
- 325: How to have Less-Stressful, More Meaningful Holidays // Desirae Endres from Minimal-ish
Mentioned in the Episode:
- Join Dr. Amber’s Holiday Challenge!
- Get $5 off Flecks of Gold Journal for the month of November!
About our Guest:
Dr. Amber Price is a relationship researcher and online educator focused on helping busy moms rediscover their purpose, reclaim who they are, and reconnect with the people they love.
Get in Touch with Our Guest:
- Join Dr. Amber’s Holiday Challenge!
- Website: amberaprice.com
- Instagram: @dramberaprice
Sponsors:
- Earth Breeze: Go to earthbreeze.com/3in30 for 40% off with your subscription now.
- Quince: Go to Quince.com/3in30 for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.
