Holiday Stress Tips
For this post, I’m flashing way back to 2011 when I gave what I’m pretty sure was my very first television interview ever! It was a success (probably in large part to my interviewer Greg McQuade, who is a consummate professional and an absolutely delightful human that I’ve had the good fortune to interact with several more times). Rewatching it now, I'm actually impressed with the clear insights and concrete tips I was giving way back then!
I spoke with Virginia This Morning on WTVR, CBS-6 about some of the science of the stress of the season and shared a few strategies for dealing with it.
A few of the key tips here:
Prepare for social interactions like parties or family dinners with a list of talking points or a “brag list” so that you aren’t stumped or focused on the negative when someone asks what you’ve been up to lately. That list will help you interact with people of various ages and may give you the confidence boost you need to enter a potentially fraught social interaction.
In an acute stress situation (like melting down at the stores), take a deep breath. Deep breathing engages the parasympathetic nervous system and disengages the sympathetic nervous system. It calms you down in a physical way… from the inside out.
Reduce stress throughout the season through hobbies, exercise, spending time in nature and with people we care about.
Looking for more insights on stress management? I can tailor that to any season, any organization, any individual. www.FranssenStrategies.com
