Surviving The Holiday Hustle

This post is sponsored by Responsibility.org. Thank you for supporting my blog!

 With holiday obligations marked all over our calendars, there are plenty of reasons for us to get stressed about – the gifts we are still endlessly searching for, the ones that need to be wrapped, letters to Santa need to be written and mailed in time, cookie exchanges, and parties. But for many of us, the biggest stress of all are the family obligations and the burden of continuing on traditions.

The holiday stress officially hit me the week before Thanksgiving; when I was still frantically coordinating our Thanksgiving meal between our families and I know that it won’t end until Christmas day.

There is often nothing I want more than to pour myself a glass of wine at the end of the day, but then I remember that it’s only the idea of doing so that is most appealing, not necessarily what my body needs.

What my body and mind really need is for me to sit down, put my feet up, and surround myself with my family at the end of the day and watch Elf, our favorite Holiday movie of all-time, for the twentieth time, and smile when I hear my kids say “Ewww, gross!” at Elf pouring maple syrup, sugary cereal, and chocolate all over his breakfast spaghetti.

It’s opportunities like these that remind me of the importance of seeking out those moments, like sitting on the couch for a few minutes while everyone is together, without electronic devices, and fully present with each other. Times like these bring me more comfort than the actual glass of wine that will later undoubtedly bring on a pounding headache since my body does not like sulfites found in wine.

Having partnered with Responsibility.org and their #TalkEarly program this year has helped me find the best strategies to cope with stress without relying on alcohol to wind down at the end of the day. Most importantly, finding ways to talk to my children about the difficult conversations around the topic and I'm grateful to have a place that I can go as a parent that shares information regarding the best strategies.

Does the holiday hustle bring on stress and how do you cope with it during this busy time of the year?