Today we’re diving in and looking at a little-admitted truth about Christmas stress…
And it goes so much further than just Christmas…

Believe me, I’ve been there with Christmas stress. I’ve got the proverbial reindeer t-shirt and I’ve worn the Christmas stress party cracker hat. I KNOW how to do Christmas stress.

But there’s a problem.

You see, Christmas stress doesn’t actually exist.

It is – literally – a figment of your imagination.

(That was the cue for the rotten tomatoes).

Eleanor Roosevelt is quoted as saying:

“No one can make you feel inferior, without your consent.”

And the same goes for stress.

No one but you can make you feel stressed.

Let’s just press pause on the raging inner dialogue that your mind is throwing my way now, just for a moment! When you ‘get’ this, it will set you free – it’s like a magic wand.

Nothing and no one can actually MAKE you feel stressed. It is always a choice. Yes, stuff can provoke you. But how to respond is always within your control.

Let’s try it on for size: What MAKES you stressed at Christmas? Then read on!

I’m curious: what MAKES you stressed at Christmas? Here’s where to share:

Click to share your answers on Facebook

So let’s try that list on for size…

What MAKES you stressed?

• Brussels sprouts are going to struggle to achieve it.
• The Christmas tree will find it hard work.
• Inanimate objects like Christmas cards and wrapping paper find it especially challenging.

I’m guessing that there’s nothing in your list that can physically get into your head and press the ‘stressed out’ button. Someone else is doing it. And, yes, you guessed it, that someone else is currently reading this article.

More rotten tomatoes.

Yet that’s how we talk about it:
“Finding a present for Uncle Tom is making me so stressed!”

Sure, other people can give us plenty of ammunition, but at the end of the day, it’s always our choice, how to react.
For some, that statement is obvious and intuitive, whilst for others it might be like running into a brick wall.

But it’s a fact of life:

If you’re feeling stressed, you’re doing it to yourself.

And the great news is that it means you can undo it too. If you need some extra help with this, here’s an article I wrote for you about your monkey mind – and what you can do about it: Is Your Monkey Mind Telling You The Truth About Stress?
It’s well worth 3 minutes of your time to read it.

If you enjoyed this article, then here’s where you can find the rest of your Advent Calendar – and scroll down to register for a free quick reminder, so you catch each instalment – AND a gift copy of my book: 101 Ways To De-Stress Your Christmas.

I would LOVE to hear how you got on with today’s message, via the comments.

See you tomorrow with Day 15!

With love, Namaste,