{"id":254,"date":"2008-11-20T10:02:31","date_gmt":"2008-11-20T10:02:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/ourladyofweightloss\/2008\/11\/holiday-stress-antidote.html"},"modified":"2008-11-20T10:02:31","modified_gmt":"2008-11-20T10:02:31","slug":"holiday-stress-antidote","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/ourladyofweightloss\/2008\/11\/holiday-stress-antidote.html","title":{"rendered":"Holiday Stress: Antidote"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Weight<\/span>Want to make the holiday fun, memorable and alleviate holiday stress?
\nHow would you like to trade in feelings of overwhelm and holiday stress (which I admit are mounting by the second for me. YIKES! There are only 7 days till Thanksgiving, and I don’t have enough carrot recipes to get me through a 4-day weekend with my family!)<\/em>, for moments of calm, peace, tranquility and pride, self-expression and accomplishment?
\nHow would you like to focus on the joy of the holiday, remember the fun moments, the giggles, the ‘creative’ ways in which you navigated family situations?
\n“Yes!” you enthusiastically reply. “I sure would like to trade in holiday stress, ‘negative’ feelings that are causing me to spiral downward … and on the way down, grab a hunk or two of Pumpkin, Apple and Coconut Custard Pie!”
\n“Is it possible?” you ask.
\n“Yes!” I answer. “It is possible and here’s how! …
\n… Create Your Holiday Journal!<\/strong>
\nWhether or not you are experienced at journaling, whether or not you consider yourself a writer, whether or not you have a creative bone in your body, I can tell you that keeping a holiday journal is a great antidote to holiday stress, and it is a lot of fun!
\nYour journal will help you to focus on the experiences of the holiday season – all the happy and joyful experiences – and the other ones, too (perhaps in a humorous and transformative way)!
\nYour Holiday Journal presents an opportunity to record yourself in the image you’d like to be remembered. (Hmmmmm … think about that! Don’t leave it up to your kids to tell your grandchildren and great grandchildren what you were like; spin your own tale! Speaking from my own paranoia!)
\nIn all seriousness, you can also use your journal to reflect on your blessings and your spiritual journey through the holiday season. By adding to your journal each year, you will create a wonderful keepsake for your family, as well as a record to help you make the Holiday Season better each year.
\nAnd an extra bonus. You can’t eat while your hands are busy cutting and pasting photos or writing with pretty pens!
\nStep One: Journal Style<\/strong>
\nIt is important to select your journal carefully.
\nThis book is a place where you will share your innermost thoughts, feelings, reflections about the holidays. It can be a place to hold artifacts and photos. Perhaps a recipe or two that you want to hold on to for next year. Or a recipe or two that totally bombed with photos of people’s faces eating something into which, you inadvertently spilled the entire contents of a bottle of hot sauce. (See, humor!)<\/em>
\nTake time to select and set up your Journal in a way that suits you best and if, at some point, it’s not working, get a new book! (Revolutionary idea!!!) <\/em>
\nYour journey should appeal to you on a number of levels. You might consider its feel, its look and functionality. Feel good about your book. Feel comfortable and relaxed when writing in it.
\nStep Two: Organize Your Journal<\/strong>
\nI’m imagining that you don’t want your journal to be an extension of your junk drawer or overly cluttered linen closet! Chaos, disorder! How will you organize your journal?
\nPerhaps you’ll want to keep in chronological order. Day 1: Sweet Potato Pie Fight<\/em> … or you might want your journal to have sections. One section for happy moments; another for recipes; or another for photographs.
\nStep Three: Diary vs. Repository of Memories<\/strong>
\nMost people think of journals as diaries, but in this case it is more than that. You are recording experiences and feelings about a specific period of time. How will you explore your experiences? Your feelings? Might you include others, inviting them to contribute a page or their thoughts?
\nWhatever type of journal you choose, however you organize it, you will be so pleased at the end of the holiday season when you look through the wonderful keepsake that you created.
\nHave fun!
\nSpread the word … NOT the icing,
\nJanice
\n__________________________________
\nJanice Taylor is a Life & Wellness Coach<\/a>, Cert. Hypnotist, author,columnist, seminar leader and 50 pound big-time-loser.
\nWant to wake up thinner on New Year’s Day<\/a>?
\nFollow her on Twitter<\/a>!
\nWant a free Weight Loss<\/a> Consult?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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There are only 7 days till Thanksgiving, and I don’t have enough carrot recipes to get me through a 4-day…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":123,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[457,177,3,369],"tags":[609,3831,614,654,3826,655,3837],"class_list":["post-254","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-depression","category-healthy-living","category-motivation","category-weight-loss-tips-2","tag-christmas-diet","tag-emotional-eating","tag-holiday-eating","tag-holiday-stress","tag-janice-taylor","tag-journal-writing","tag-weight-loss-motivation"],"yoast_head":"\nHoliday Stress: Antidote - Our Lady of Weight Loss<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/ourladyofweightloss\/2008\/11\/holiday-stress-antidote.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Holiday Stress: Antidote - Our Lady of Weight Loss\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Want to make the holiday fun, memorable and alleviate holiday stress? 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