My Present to You: A Touch of Sanity this Holiday.

The food

The fits

The fights

The feelings

The Pressure.

THE HOLIDAYS.

This time of the year truly is beautiful, but that beauty can be hidden beneath drama, bad memories, financial stress, imposter syndrome, and so many other things. As a kid, this time of year was hard because I had so many events to attend since my parents were divorced. Now, as an adult, I have to remind myself these are not the same holidays I had as a kid, and pause to find the magic and share that with my kids.

Here is how I beat the holiday stress.

*I'm a one gift wonder- one thought-out gift means so much more than a ton of random gifts (for adults). For the kids, I love a good winter basket, Dollar Tree edition!

*Daily Thankfulness. I take a minute just to see the beauty each day and accompany each thought with a deep breath.

*Plan to be stressed. I know myself, and this time of year, it is best to be honest with myself about how much I can handle. If I have several events in a week, I'll take one afternoon for myself or plan something that matters to me. You can also set clear time limits or boundaries around what you will and won't participate in ahead of time.

*Do what makes you happy. Holidays can be filled with thinking of others and giving, which is incredible, but you gotta create the magic for you and your family. So do one thing, one tradition that is important to you, and make that a priority no matter what. For me, it's matching outfits and Christmas Eve movie night.

Find your joy this season, hold onto the magic of believing in the season, share love with your family, and take care of yourself. There is beauty in the madness.