{"id":26171,"date":"2025-12-18T08:00:34","date_gmt":"2025-12-18T13:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/doinglifetogether\/?p=26171"},"modified":"2025-12-09T11:02:57","modified_gmt":"2025-12-09T16:02:57","slug":"how-to-avoid-holiday-overload-overspending-overeating-overstressing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/doinglifetogether\/2025\/12\/how-to-avoid-holiday-overload-overspending-overeating-overstressing.html","title":{"rendered":"How to Avoid Holiday Overload: Overspending, Overeating, Overstressing"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/wp-media.beliefnet.com\/sites\/258\/2025\/12\/ai-generated-9442821_1280.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-26177\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-media.beliefnet.com\/sites\/258\/2025\/12\/ai-generated-9442821_1280.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"1080\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Last week, a friend told me she had spent her lunch break crying in her car. Not because something terrible happened to her, but because she felt\u00a0behind on Christmas. She said, \u201cI\u2019m overspending, overeating, and overstressed and Christmas hasn\u2019t even arrived.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Her words might resonate with you. Before Christmas day arrives, many of us are already weary from the three \u201covers\u201d that drain our joy:\u00a0overspending, overeating, and overstressing. These overages sneak up on us and make a beautiful season feel heavy. But with intention and a refocus of our hearts, we can reclaim the peace God intends for us.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Overeating: Practice Flexibility, Not Perfection<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Holiday food is everywhere. Think about the gift baskets, office parties, family baking days and it\u2019s easy to overindulge. Research on self-regulation shows that\u00a0all-or-nothing thinking leads to more overeating, not less. When people believe they\u2019ve \u201cblown it,\u201d they are more likely to continue overeating rather than regain control.<\/p>\n<p>Instead, adopt a\u00a0flexible mindset:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Enjoy special treats without guilt.<\/li>\n<li>If you overdo it, don\u2019t give up. Instead, simply adjust your next few meals.<\/li>\n<li>Pace yourself and decide ahead of time which foods are worth indulging in.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>A compassionate approach to eating helps maintain both physical and emotional well-being during the holidays.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Overspending: Protect Your Finances and Your Stress Level<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The season of giving can turn into the season of impulse buying before we realize it. Behavioral economics research consistently shows that\u00a0credit cards reduce the \u201cpain of paying,\u201d\u00a0making it easier to overspend compared to using cash.<\/p>\n<p>Try these strategies to keep your budget intact:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Make a list and stick to it.\u00a0No exceptions.<\/li>\n<li>Put away credit cards.\u00a0Use cash or a check so you can see what you\u2019re spending. Keep only one emergency card, preferably held by a spouse or trusted friend.<\/li>\n<li>Avoid \u201cdeals\u201d that aren\u2019t really deals.\u00a0Many people buy unnecessary items simply because they\u2019re discounted.<\/li>\n<li>Stay off shopping channels and online browsing sites.\u00a0Most unplanned purchases happen there.<\/li>\n<li>Replace the urge to shop with something meaningful:\u00a0take a walk, read, pray, or call a friend.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Setting limits is not about being stingy. It\u2019s showing restraint, preserving peace, reducing stress, and stewarding your resources wisely.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Overstressed: Refocus on What Matters Most<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The best antidote to holiday stress is a shift in focus. When we get caught up in commercialization, we drift away from the heart of Christmas. Stress grows, expectations escalate, and the season feels heavier than it should.<\/p>\n<p>To recenter:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Read the Christmas story to remember the meaning behind the celebration.<\/li>\n<li>Attend church services or special holiday programs.<\/li>\n<li>Send cards that share a spiritual message.<\/li>\n<li>Write a letter to a missionary or donate to a ministry.<\/li>\n<li>Look for opportunities to serve those in need in your community.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>There is a saying, \u201cIf the devil cannot make you bad, he will make you busy.\u201d\u00a0Busyness leads to burnout, but rest brings restoration. Don\u2019t feel pressured to do everything. Start your day with God\u2019s Word and let Him set the tone.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Let Peace Begin with You<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Joy is not the result of a perfect holiday season. It flows from the presence of Christ. Isaiah 9:6 reminds us:<\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cFor unto us a child is born, to us a son is given\u2026 and he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t let the \u201covers\u201d steal your joy. Protect your peace, refocus your heart, and embrace the true gift of the season, the advent of the Christ child.<\/p>\n<p>Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with us.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Last week, a friend told me she had spent her lunch break crying in her car. Not because something terrible happened to her, but because she felt\u00a0behind on Christmas. She said, \u201cI\u2019m overspending, overeating, and overstressed and Christmas hasn\u2019t even arrived.\u201d Her words might resonate with you. Before Christmas day arrives, many of us are&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":419,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4099],"tags":[9545,9548,6732,632,692,6741],"class_list":["post-26171","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-stress","tag-christmas-overload","tag-christmas-season","tag-christmas-stress","tag-overeating","tag-overspending","tag-overstressed"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How to Avoid Holiday Overload: Overspending, Overeating, Overstressing<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Before Christmas day arrives, many of us are already weary from the three \u201covers\u201d that drain our joy:\u00a0overspending, overeating, overstressing.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, 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Overstressing"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/doinglifetogether\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/doinglifetogether\/","name":"Doing Life Together","description":"Relationship Doctor, Mental Health, Emotional Wellness, Relationship Advice &amp; Entertainment","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/doinglifetogether\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/doinglifetogether\/#\/schema\/person\/1e16a9c7332cfcc5b5d89e4ba3a36142","name":"Linda Mintle","description":"It is rare that a trained academic who speaks passionately to the heart of people providing real answers to real life problems is so relatable. 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Her media experience includes seven years as the resident expert for ABC Family\u2019s Living the Life television show and regular appearances on network television and radio. It is often said that being with Dr. Linda is like having coffee with a friend. She makes the complicated issues of relationships and mental health easy to understand and applicable to everyday living. The ease she has with people, coupled with her clinical training and experience makes her a sought-after speaker on college campuses, conferences and special events. Whether she is doing a TV skit with Tim Conway or discussing teen violence with Queen Latifa, Dr. Linda will entertain, educate and integrate faith and mental health in everyday living. Check out her latest book Hope and Healing for Anxiety, a whole-person approach to eliminate anxiety. .","sameAs":["https:\/\/drlindamintle.com\/","https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/drlindamintle\/","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/drlindamintle\/","https:\/\/x.com\/drlindamintle"],"url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/doinglifetogether\/author\/lmintle"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/doinglifetogether\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26171","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/doinglifetogether\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/doinglifetogether\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/doinglifetogether\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/419"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/doinglifetogether\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26171"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/doinglifetogether\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26171\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26180,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/doinglifetogether\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26171\/revisions\/26180"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/doinglifetogether\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26171"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/doinglifetogether\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26171"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/doinglifetogether\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26171"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}