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Why Holiday Problems Won’t Get Me Down This Year

The following is a post is sponsored by Travaasa’s #HolidayProblems Sweepstakes. For our sponsored post policy, click here.

woman in snow

I’m an unabashed lover of the holidays. If I didn’t share an office (and, you know, a home) with a husband who spent too many years working retail to properly appreciate Christmas music anymore, I would’ve started jamming to my favorite holiday playlists the day after Halloween. As is, the day after Thanksgiving will have to do. (Sorry, Jared.)

I decorate, I entertain (the only problem with our our Festivus party last year was a lack of grievances), I sometimes send out holiday cards (on time, even!). I do a little baking (with some efforts more successful than others), and I go to all the parties I’m expected to attend.

But you know what I generally don’t do? Make time to just be alone with my thoughts, which is something I really, really need.

I think this is a pretty common holiday problem, and it manifests in many forms. For some people, like me, it leads to feeling overwhelmed and really jacks with the ol’ emotional well-being. For others, it can mean they drop the ball on their workouts, or maybe it means they start chowing down on junk food instead of creating and enjoying more nutritious meals. And, of course, all of this can cause us to feel super icky overall — worn down, exhausted, cranky or even sick. And that’s so not festive.

However, this year, I’m going into the holiday season with a plan …  and a new attitude toward fitting it all in without going bonkers. I’m still going to do (almost) all the things, but as I’ve continued on my meditation journey, I’ve become far better at carving out time for myself, and that’s going to continue all the way through 2014. That might mean that I agree to meet friends at a party an hour later, or that I simply ask my husband or any house guests to give me 20 minutes of time to myself in my office or bedroom. I don’t need an entire day alone, but a few minutes of recharging will do wonders, I know.

Establishing a (semi-regular) meditation practice has made this so much easier for me in a few different ways. First, it’s become more of a habit, so convincing myself that there actually is time that can be carved out? No biggie. Plus, I’ve gotten my husband involved, and while he doesn’t join me every time, he does so often enough that I don’t feel any guilt at all for requesting a bit of quiet time when I sit down to my practice. The more I surround myself with people who believe in the power and benefit of meditation, the more I find others showing interest.

Who knows? Maybe this Thanksgiving will involve a few minutes of non-tryptophan-induced moments of quiet reflection for the whole family. (Or maybe I’ll just step aside while everyone watches football. It’s all good.)

Another Way to Combat Your Holiday Stress

Travaasa Experiential Resorts (which you know we love here at FBG) is making an effort to help us all out with their #HolidayProblems sweepstakes. They’re offering up a whole slew of ideas for navigating the trickier parts of the holidays (because, no, you can’t solve all your holiday problems with a glass of wine, unfortunately), sharing smart solutions like how a lemon a day can help you feel well all season long and how to create a DIY facial when you can’t make it to the spa.

That being said, if you’re looking for a special spa trip, you just might be in luck. Travaasa is offering a two-person, three-night stay Vitality Package at their Austin location for a lucky winner, plus AmEx gift cards to help with travel expenses. Plus, they’re holding giveaways of two $50 Travaasa gift cards each week throughout the holidays. All you’ve got to do is share your own #HolidayProblems over here.

So, let’s hear it — what are your biggest holiday problems? More importantly, how do you plan to deal with it this holiday season? Because you totally deserve to have an ah-MAY-zing holiday. —Kristen

FTC disclosure: We often receive products from companies to review. All thoughts and opinions are always entirely our own. Unless otherwise stated, we have received no compensation for our review and the content is purely editorial. Affiliate links may be included. If you purchase something through one of those links we may receive a small commission. Thanks for your support!