How to Find Serenity at Christmas Time

The Christmas season has become a hotbed of pressure, frenzied traffic and multitasking. For many people, Christmas is more stressful than joyful, and finding serenity is easier said than done. California psychologist Marc D. Skelton coined the term "Stressmas" in an article published on WebMD.com. Learning how to slow down and experience "heavenly peace" can reach beyond the theoretical, as in the famed Christmas carol, to the probable when you intentionally pursue this goal.

Instructions

• 1

  Open a computer document or take out a pencil and paper, and list your expectations and those of others that involve you. Many people find themselves faced with over-the-top expectations -- reinforced by songs and advertisements -- for happiness, fulfillment, appreciation and acquisition during the Christmas season. It's important to be realistic about what the holiday ultimately means to you.

• 2

  Create a second list of holiday tasks, and note how long or involved the list looks. For each undertaking, ask yourself, "Is this really necessary for my and everyone else's well-being?" Prioritize the essential duties, and be willing to eliminate, delegate or at least minimize some items. On a new page, create two columns, with the full job described in the left column and a less-complicated version or people to whom tasks can be delegated in the right.

• 3

  Identify ways to slow down if you're overextended or to reenergize if you need refreshing. Introverts find serenity by reducing stimuli, while extroverts recharge in community. If you are an introvert, aim to delegate tasks or attend fewer parties while enjoying the simplicity of being rather than doing. Conversely, if you consider yourself an extrovert, recognize those pastimes that bring pleasure, but take care to not overcommit just because you can handle more social activity.

• 4

  Engage in a stress-reducing exercise for balance. Yoga and meditation are solitary disciplines that can be done at home or in quiet places and can slow heart rate and blood pressure. More social options include listening to Christmas music with family by the fire, singing carols and attending worship services. Each of these methods calms or distracts, which helps bring you serenity by renewing your energy and using other parts of your brain.

• 5

  Practice being thankful by making a gratitude list. A classic element of 12-step philosophy, this heartening exercise helps bring perspective and Christmas spirit back into the picture. As you write your list, aim for no less than 20 examples of people, situations or other positive elements in your life for which you are thankful. Read your list aloud.

• 6

  Focus on the spiritual aspect of the holiday rather than the secular and commercial. Remember the reason for the season. As is commonly acknowledged, Christmas has mushroomed into a grand commercial production, so concentrating on spiritual foundations helps right-size the sum total experience. Reading the Biblical Christmas story, setting up a nativity scene or keeping an Advent calendar helps you pace yourself and keeps the focus spiritual throughout December.

• 7

  Journal your thoughts or videotape your reviews at the conclusion of the holiday season while your memory is fresh. This exercise provides clear remembrances and appraisals of what worked well and what might need improvement for next year. File it in a seasonal or Christmas file folder for easy access next December.