With the holiday seasons quickly approaching, it’s easy to get stressed out. The holidays can cause added anxiety to our already demanding lives when you must worry about shopping for gifts, cooking for family and friends, as well as having to spend more than what your budget may allow. However, what if there was a way to reduce the inevitable anxiety? Begin prepping for a busy holiday season by following these helpful tips to make this holiday season more relaxing and enjoyable.

Practice holiday resilience by asking yourself these questions:

• What resources do you need to feel confident about facing the upcoming fall/winter season?

• What do you want to be thinking about when you face the upcoming season(s)?

• What would you like to remember about this season after it’s done?

• If you knew this was your last fall/winter season, what would you prioritize?

• How can you use this to focus your efforts?

• What barriers to joy and happiness will you face during the upcoming months?

• What options do you have for overcoming these barriers?

Learn to stay ahead of the holiday stress by seeing it as a challenge rather than a threat. Try to view upcoming challenges as manageable based on the resources that you may have rather than a threat that must be changed or avoided. This builds up emotional and cognitive resources to assist you in facing challenges. Practice slow and steady movements to estimate your desired behaviors and thoughts over time.

Along the way, expect the unexpected as life rarely goes as planned. Allow yourself to be flexible in your thinking and in your planning for the holidays. Remember to think positive! This will make a big difference in how you may face unexpected challenges. Small challenges matter and this will allow you to become better prepared for the upcoming trials this holiday season.