I’ve been re-reading a book I originally read in the mid-1990s. It was an Oprah’s Book Club favorite titled, Simple Abundance by Sarah Ban Breathnach. The book is a bit more “new age” than I typically like, but I really love the overall message it delivers about appreciating what you have, paring down, and simplifying your life. It’s set up in a format to be read a little bit every day over the course of one year. A while back, I was reading one of the October entries about coping with stress, an appropriate topic for many of us today.
I was also thinking, as we are in the midst of the holiday season, a few tips on how to slow down and really enjoy this time of year might be appropriate. So here are my top 20 tips, inspired by the book, on coping with stress so we can truly enjoy the holidays…
1. Keep a gratitude attitude. Write down five things you’re grateful for every day.
2. K.I.S.S. Keep It Simple, Sweetheart.
3. Don’t overschedule your days; truly LIVE in the moment.
4. Set realistic deadlines and achievable goals.
5. Surrender expectations.
6. For every time you say “yes,” let there be a “no.”
7. Allow an extra 20 minutes for everything you do.
8. Breathe deeply several times throughout the day.
9. If it’s not delicious, don’t eat it.
10. If you don’t absolutely love it, don’t buy it.
11. Laugh every day.
12. Luxuriate in all five senses.
13. Let Mother Nature nurture you.
14. Turn off the telephone ringer, and turn down the answering machine volume during dinner.
15. Avoid energy vampires (negative people!).
16. Cherish your friendships.
17. Savor beauty.
18. Care for your soul.
19. Remember to dream.
20. Show love every day.
Image by: Tell Jeeves
