How’s your love life these days? Asks a nosy family member only adding on to your holiday stress. Holidays are a time to rejoice and relax, but they can also take a toll on your relationships. Before you become resentful here are 5 Solutions to Combat Holiday Stress in Your Love Life:
Practice a breathing exercise
Tis the season to be extremely heightened in stress. It’s easy to react when you are feeling overwhelmed. Arguments are healthy but there are ways to combat them from escalating. If your date/partner says something that totally triggers you, take a pause.
Solution: Step aside and work on my client proof 20-count breathing exercise. Pause. Count to 20. Breathe in on the odds and out on the evens. Focus on your breathing. If you still feel upset at 20 then start over.
Create a “self-care” schedule
We give so much of ourselves during the holidays from giving gifts to hosting a get-together. As a result, we forget to give to ourselves. This can cause a serious imbalance in your love life and self-care routine. If you can’t take care of yourself then you can’t take care of your date/partner either.
Solution: Create a schedule that incorporates balance. Add in 3 weekly self-care items in addition to quality time with your date/partner. Example: Sunday is meal prep for the week, Wednesdays are for getting a massage after work, Fridays are for meditation. This organization will help you lessen holiday stress in your love life.
Don’t justify anything
Family and friends love to dig into your love life around the holiday season. Their intentions may be good but let’s face it, it only causes more holiday stress. As a result, you might find yourself justifying why you are not in a serious relationship or have your wedding venue picked out.
Solution: You owe no one an answer. You can politely keep it light and say “thanks for caring about me by asking me about X, Y & Z. How have things been with you?” If you’re feeling a bit under pressure remember this quote, “it’s none of my business what people think about me.”
Create a health plan
With the hustle and bustle of the holidays, it’s quite easy to let your exercise and eating habits slip. The evenings get darker earlier and you can’t seem to find enough time for the gym or home-cooked meals. But remember that your own health translates to the health of your love life.
Solution: Exercise creates endorphins that reduce stress and eating balanced meals gives you energy. Create an accountability health plan and ask your date/partner to join or support you. Include exercise at least 3 days a week (gym, walking, biking, etc.) and a meal plan with balanced meals.
Communicate your holiday stress
It’s totally normal to feel isolated during the holidays. It can be stressful and as a result, we retract from those we love and care about. These feelings may even cause excess stress in your love life. When you don’t talk about your feelings bottling them up is never a good solution.
Solution: Talk to your partner about how you are feeling. This does not mean that you tell them that you don’t like their family or even to criticize them. Instead, voice your needs and wants in regards to your stress. Find solutions together, where you both feel you’re being heard and seen.
