The holidays can be stressful. You’re busy with shopping, baking, and cooking, and making sure everything gets done before the big day. You’re also trying to make time for family gatherings, parties, and get-togethers with friends. It’s no wonder that a lot of people feel overwhelmed during this time of year!

But if you keep yourself mentally healthy by practicing some simple self-care techniques throughout the season, you’ll be able to enjoy these days better and avoid stress in the long run as well. Here are some tips on how to stay calm during the holiday season:

Talk about things you’re grateful for Peace and Calm.

Have you ever noticed how much happier you feel when you’re doing something for someone else? It’s because volunteering is one of the best ways to make sure that your life has meaning and purpose. You can also volunteer in your local community during the holiday season, which will help everyone get into the spirit of giving and it will give you some time off from working too!

You might be thinking: “I don’t have any time to spare.” But even doing small things like donating old clothes and toys can make a big difference for those who need them most. And when we think about how fortunate we are compared with others, our sense of gratitude increases as well.

Think about what causes bring value into people’s lives and then think about how they could apply this knowledge when they’re making decisions at work or home.

Find peace and calm by playing with your dog or cat.

• Play with your pet. If you have a dog or cat, this is an especially good time to play with them. Engaging in games and activities that they enjoy can help distract both of you from the stress of the holidays.
• Include your pet in your holiday festivities as much as possible. Whether it’s caroling or decorating the Christmas tree, get them involved!
• Your pet will provide comfort and love when you need it most during the holidays. Spending quality time with each other will help relax both of you after a stressful day and that’s what we all need during this busy season!

Take a bath by candlelight.

There’s something about lighting candles in the bathroom that relaxes and de-stresses you. A few drops of your favorite essential oil can be added to the bath water, which will fill your bathroom with a beautiful scent as well as help ease aches and pains.

If there are no candles around, no problem! Just light some scented candles in another room, put on some soft music or nature sounds (soothing ocean waves would be perfect), and run yourself a nice warm bubble bath. If you’re feeling creative, you could even make your own bath bombs or salts out of ingredients like baking soda and citric acid. Add one drop at a time until it smells just right!

Pray or meditate to increase peace and calm.

Prayer and meditation are great ways to relax and calm down during the holiday season. It’s also good for your health, your mental health, and even your spiritual health. Studies have shown that prayer and meditation can help you deal with stress, anxiety, and depression. And who wouldn’t want to deal with those things?

Just remember that meditation is something that takes practice and it takes patience! But once you’ve got the basics down (or are willing to learn them), there are lots of ways you can incorporate meditation into your daily routines. If there’s one thing we know about holidays: they aren’t always relaxing!

Do a few easy yoga stretches.

If you’re feeling stressed out, yoga can be a great way to relax and unwind. Not only does it help relieve tension in your muscles, but it also helps calm your mind so that you can focus on positive things.

Yoga stretches are a good way to start feeling more relaxed. You can do them at home or even while sitting in front of the television or computer. They don’t require any special equipment or clothing just yourself! And if you don’t know how to do certain stretches, there are tons of videos online that teach easy poses like downward facing dog (a common beginner pose) and child’s pose (a resting pose).

Take a walk outside.

One of the simplest ways to get into a relaxed state is by taking a walk outside. Walking is great for your health and can help you get through any stressful time. It’s an easy way to get fresh air and exercise, as well as give your mind some rest. When we’re feeling stressed or anxious, our minds tend to race with thoughts that don’t necessarily need our attention. Taking some time away from all these distractions and focusing instead on walking will allow those thoughts to settle down so that they no longer feel like they’re controlling us.

When you do this exercise regularly (ideally every day), it will not only help you relax but also improve your overall well-being because it gives your body much-needed exercise and reduces stress levels by releasing endorphins into the bloodstream. The more endorphins we have in our bodies, the happier we’ll be and this is especially true during stressful times like holiday season!

Besides just calming down, taking walks regularly has many other benefits including: losing weight; improving heart health; increasing energy levels; reducing anxiety/depression symptoms; lowering blood pressure.

Listen to music that calms and relaxes you, like classical or jazz.

There are many types of music that can be soothing and calming. Depending on your mood, its good to listen to different kinds of music. When you’re feeling excited, energetic, or upbeat, try listening to a song that makes you want to dance or sing along. Or, if you’re having a bad day, try listening to slow songs that will take your mind off the negative things going on in your life.

If you want some suggestions for calming music:

• Classical music is great for relaxing because it has a slower tempo than other genres such as rock or pop. It also has beautiful melodies and harmonies which can be very therapeutic if listened in the right mood. For example, Mozart’s Piano Sonata No 16 (K 448) one of the popular pieces from his repertoire because it contains both slow movements played at around 60 beats per minute as well as fast movements with tempos around 120 beats per minute–making it perfect for unwinding after a long day!
• Jazz can also help calm nerves due its slower tempo compared with other genres like hip hop where listeners often find themselves moving faster than usual which causes stress hormones release into the bloodstream; jazz tends not require much physical movement so there tends not be any sudden spikes in adrenaline released into one’s system causing them to feel stressed out afterward.

Make sure you take time to just be quiet with yourself, no talking or socializing.

Take time to be quiet with yourself.

It is often the best way to relax, recharge and organize your thoughts. Especially if you are an introvert or an empath. It can also provide you with an opportunity to think about what you want in life and how you want to spend it.

Talk yourself through the day or an upcoming stressful event before it happens, to help your brain get used to the idea of it and see it as positive instead of negative.

What’s one of the best ways to make peace with your life? Talking yourself through an upcoming stressful event before it happens, to help your brain get used to the idea of it and see it as positive instead of negative.

If you’re dealing with self-esteem issues or feeling down on yourself, this is especially helpful. When we think negatively about ourselves, our brains believe that we’re worthless and that nothing good can happen but when we talk ourselves through things in a positive way, our brains accept this new perspective because we’ve repeated it so many times!

Recite positive affirmations to yourself in the mirror every morning when you wake up and every night before you go to bed. 

Positive affirmations are a great way to remind yourself of your strengths and abilities so you can use them when facing challenges. This is especially helpful. Especially if you’re dealing with self-esteem issues. Or feeling down on yourself. There are lots of ways to do this: write down positive affirmations on paper or in lipstick on the mirror, say them out loud in front of a mirror or just repeat them quietly to yourself when no one is around. Grab a free copy of my Stress & Relaxation Affirmations here.

Set aside 15 minutes each day to write in a journal about what’s bothering you and how you can deal with it in a healthy way.

Writing in a journal is one of the best ways to express your feelings and thoughts. It can also help you get to the root of the problem and find solutions, which will lead to peace and calm during this stressful time.

Journaling allows you to clear your mind while getting everything out on paper. It’s also helpful if you’re trying to deal with holiday stress or any other issues that are bothering you!

The holidays can be stressful, but you can do things for yourself to alleviate your anxiety about them

Were all familiar with the holiday season. Its a time filled with family, food and festivities that can easily bring out the best in us. But it also brings stress and anxiety for many and while this is normal and even healthy, excessive stress can be harmful to your body and mind.

The holidays are stressful for a lot of people because there are so many expectations surrounding them: we want to make everyone happy, but its nearly impossible to do so; we want everyone to have fun together as a family or group of friends (or both), but not everyone gets along well enough for that; we want everything about our lives to be perfect because there are so many eyes watching us during this time of year and when it comes down to it, perfection isn’t possible no matter how hard we try!

Unfortunately, these high expectations often lead us into negative thinking patterns like I’m doing this wrong! I’m failing at my job! Everyone hates me.” This leads back again into feeling stressed out over someone else’s opinion of you rather than focusing on enjoying yourself or doing whatever makes YOU happy during this festive time frame (which can also lead back into negative thoughts). The key here lies within two things: perspective being everything (especially when trying) and balance being key too.”

A Moment’s Peace

I know it can be stressful, but it’s important to remember that the holiday season is a time for spending time with your family and loved ones.

Thats why I created A Moment’s Peace: Resolve Holiday Anxiety & Stress , a program that uses hypnosis to help clients relax and enjoy the holidays. As a National Guild of Hypnotists (NGH) certified hypnotherapist, I help clients find peace and calm during holiday seasons.

Learn how hypnosis can help relieve holiday anxiety without drugs or other solutions that might have adverse side effects on the body or mind. Go ahead and request a free Accelerate Success Hypnosis call today.

Hypnosis is a powerful tool that can help you find relief from whatever is troubling you. Feel amazing by taking control of your mind and body with hypnosis.

~xoxox Twanna

Curated Reads: Essential Books to Add to Your Personal Library …

• Melaninated Magic: 180 Affirmations to Nurture Your Soul and Unleash Your Black Girl Joy by Twanna Carter, PhD
• Negotiating While Black: Be Who You Are to Get What You Want, by Damali Peterman
• Unbreak My Soul: How Black Women Can Begin To Heal From Workplace Trauma, Carey Yazeed, PhD
• I’m Not Yelling: A Black Woman’s Guide to Navigating the Workplace (Successful Black Business Women), Elizabeth Leiba.
• Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler.
• Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B. Cialdini.
• How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie.
• Overworked and Undervalued: Black Women and Success in America by Rosalyn D. Davis, Sharon L. Bowman, et. al.
• Power Negotiation – Getting to the Yes: Strategies to Get What You Want, When You Want It by Patrick Kennedy
• Set Free to Live Free: Breaking Through the 7 Lies Women Tell Themselves by Saundra Dalton-Smith, MD
• Job Offers 101 – Everything You’ve Always Wanted to Know, Twanna Carter, PhD

Read my latest blogs…

• 
  10 Signs You’re Ready for an Executive Coach (And How to Find the Perfect Fit)
  Are you feeling stuck in your career, unsure of your next move, or struggling to balance the demands of leadership with your personal life? For many Black women in executive roles, these challenges can feel isolating. The good news is you don’t have… Read more: 10 Signs You’re Ready for an Executive Coach (And How to Find the Perfect Fit)
• 
  Mindful Leadership: How Executive Women Can Manage Stress and Lead Effectively
  In the final hours before a major presentation, Simone, a high-level executive, found herself in a familiar state of tension. As the clock ticked down, stress mounted, and her mind raced with the typical concerns: Will this be good enough? Can I balance… Read more: Mindful Leadership: How Executive Women Can Manage Stress and Lead Effectively
• 
  7 Hidden Habits That Are Secretly Impacting Your Stress and Success
  What Are Hidden Habits and Why They Matter You may not realize it, but certain hidden habits can significantly impact your stress levels. These unconscious behaviors often go unnoticed until they start affecting your productivity and well-being. Are you feeling overwhelmed, constantly stressed,… Read more: 7 Hidden Habits That Are Secretly Impacting Your Stress and Success
• 
  5 Warning Signs You’re Lacking Vision Clarity—and How to Find Direction Now
  Have you ever felt stuck or uncertain about your next steps, even though you’re working hard and meeting expectations? It could be a sign that you’re lacking vision clarity. Knowing where you want to go and having a clear sense of direction can… Read more: 5 Warning Signs You’re Lacking Vision Clarity—and How to Find Direction Now
• 
  5 Simple Delegation Strategies That Empower Teams
  Are you finding yourself juggling too many responsibilities, wishing you could delegate more effectively? Proper delegation is more than just offloading tasks—it’s an empowering strategy that can elevate your team, encourage ownership, and build a collaborative culture. In this blog, you’ll discover five… Read more: 5 Simple Delegation Strategies That Empower Teams
• 
  Stress Management Secrets for Executive Women: 7 Practical Tools for Your Leadership Routine
  Why Rest and Stress Management are Essential for Executive Women Do you feel stretched too thin, balancing high-stakes decisions, managing teams, and meeting tight deadlines? Stress is a constant companion for many executive women, and without proper management, it can lead to burnout,… Read more: Stress Management Secrets for Executive Women: 7 Practical Tools for Your Leadership Routine
• 
  Reactive Leadership or Responsive Leadership. How Are You Leading?
  Do you often feel like you’re constantly putting out fires at work, responding to one crisis after another, and barely finding time to focus on your long-term goals? If so, you’re not alone. Many leaders—especially Black women executives—find themselves stuck in a cycle… Read more: Reactive Leadership or Responsive Leadership. How Are You Leading?
• 
  How You Can Beat Decision Fatigue and Lead Confidently with These Hacks
  As an executive, you’re used to making decisions. Big ones, small ones, urgent ones—your days are often defined by the constant barrage of choices. But have you ever noticed that, by the end of the day, even deciding what to have for dinner… Read more: How You Can Beat Decision Fatigue and Lead Confidently with These Hacks
• 
  Rediscover Your Career – 3 Tips for Fulfillment
  Have you ever woken up dreading the workday ahead, feeling tired, unfulfilled, and questioning whether you’re on the right career path? If so, you’re not alone. Many professionals reach a point in their careers where the excitement fades, and the daily grind becomes… Read more: Rediscover Your Career – 3 Tips for Fulfillment
• 
  Surviving the Toxic Boss: A Guide to Protecting Your Career
  Tension with a toxic boss can make even the most rewarding job feel unbearable. You’ve put in the time, effort, and commitment, but for some reason, you and your boss just don’t see eye to eye. Whether it’s constant miscommunication, feeling undervalued, or… Read more: Surviving the Toxic Boss: A Guide to Protecting Your Career
• 
  7 Proven Steps to Crush Self-Doubt and Thrive in Your Career
  What is Self-Doubt? Do you ever feel like you’re not good enough or that you don’t quite measure up? You’re not alone. Self-doubt can creep in at any moment, but you don’t have to let it control your career or your confidence. By… Read more: 7 Proven Steps to Crush Self-Doubt and Thrive in Your Career
• 
  Is Your Boss Sabotaging Your Career? Learn How to Break Free from Workplace Toxicity!
  If you’ve ever felt like your boss is sabotaging your career? Working against you, constantly undermining your efforts, or creating an environment so toxic that you dread going to work, you’re not alone. Many professional women find themselves stuck in careers where their… Read more: Is Your Boss Sabotaging Your Career? Learn How to Break Free from Workplace Toxicity!