This is the Monday Mindset Newsletter that was sent on Monday 11/21/2022…
Team,
As we enter into the holiday season, there are certain emotions that you may begin to feel or perhaps feel in an amplified manner.
Feelings of Stress.. Love.. Overwhelm.. Joy.. Fear.. Gratitude.. Anxiety.. Anger.. and maybe even RAGE.. are stirring in millions of people right now as we prepare for Thanksgiving this week and Christmas soon after.
Here are 5 ways to keep your holiday experience from ending up like an episode on the Jerry Springer show…
1) You don’t have to set yourself up for failure. If there are certain people, places, foods, or circumstances that you know will bring negativity, drama, and/or toxicity into your life, STAY AWAY from them. Just because there is a certain level of pressure to be in the same room as others you otherwise never see or care to talk to, doesn’t mean you have to be there. Opt out of social gatherings that have a high probability of going down a negative path.
2) Use your feelings to your advantage. I get it, sometimes the outcome of skipping a family gathering is more drama than actually attending. Know that feelings of fear, anxiety, anger, and even rage, have their place and can serve a purpose. Choose to use your feelings to your benefit. Channel those feelings towards something healthy like your workout at the gym before/after the family function, serving others in need, donating to charity, or whatever will help you use the feelings you’re having towards a greater good.
3) Remember that your feelings are LIARS. Feelings have a way of feeling really real. And that’s because certain feelings put us into a place of Fight or Flight. When you feel yourself going to that place, focus on your breathing. When you’re in Fight or Flight, you start to have short and shallow breathing from the mouth. When you notice this, transition to deep and sustained breathing through the nose. The increase in oxygen through the nose and into the lungs is a great way of pulling you out of Fight or Flight where you’re likely to React (rarely ever a good thing…), and into a place of Logic and Reasoning where you will Respond (almost always better outcomes…).
4) Never make permanent decisions based on temporary feelings. The holidays are temporary.. the expectations are temporary.. the financial stress or obligations are temporary.. The social gatherings are temporary.. Don’t allow yourself to do or say anything that has a long-lasting or permanent effect based on temporary circumstances.
5) H.A.L.T. Be aware of the times when you are Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired. When you’re any of those things, and especially when you’re a combination of those things, you are most susceptible to lashing out and/or making poor choices.
Remember, you always maintain the Power and Control to change your circumstances.
Have a fantastic Thanksgiving Day this week and holiday season as we ring in the new year!
Go forth and conquer,
Matt