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5 Tips to Avoid a Holiday Meltdown

Contrary to what we’ve been told, most holiday stress is completely unnecessary. Just because holiday stress is normal doesn't mean it's natural.

If your holidays feel more like "stress on steroids" than "peace on Earth," take a deep breath and follow these 5 tips to avoid a holiday meltdown:

1. Give yourself permission to be imperfect. The #1 cause of holiday stress is believing everything has to be perfect. This in turn stems from thinking you're not good enough. Well, you ARE good enough, even though you're not perfect. Just accept it and move on.

2. Let go of your high – and low – expectations. Americans either revel in or dread the holidays. The difference lies in your expectations. Expecting people and situations to be anything but what they are, is like asking Santa to not like kids! Stop expecting people and things to change. False or misplaced expectations kill relationships – and your chances for holiday happiness. When you change your perspective of something, the thing you're looking at changes.

3. Use AFFORMATIONS. No, that’s not a misprint. Instead of asking, "Why am I so stressed out?", try asking, "Why am I so calm?" I call these empowering questions AFFORMATIONS – NOT affirmations! For example, most people have tried using an affirmation like, "I am happy." And your brain says, "Yeah, right!" Instead of a statement you don’t believe, ask an Afformation: "Why am I so happy?" Asking an empowering question causes your mind to search for why you are, in fact, happy.

4. Focus on what you HAVE, not on what you lack. Many people are suffering from the disease of "not-enoughness". This comes from focusing on what you lack, which produces…more feelings of lack. Every morning, write 5 things you're grateful for. Focusing on what you HAVE will build feelings of confidence and self-worth – because what you focus on, grows.

5. Find your Because. Most people don't know why they're here on Earth. This leads to feelings from mild frustration to the depths of despair. Statistics show that suicides go up during the holidays, because people's mild feelings of hopelessness can be deeply exacerbated. Stressing over the holidays really is a bad habit you don't need any more. When you Find Your Because, you'll realize that not giving or getting the "perfect" gift pales in comparison to knowing you did the best you could with love.

Click here to read other articles by Noah St. John.

Copyright © Noah St. John Ph.D., Founder and CEO of SuccessClinic.com, and author of, "The Secret Code of Success: 7 Hidden Steps to More Wealth and Happiness" (Collins). For more information please visit: target="_blank">SecretCodeBook.com. Reprinted with permission.

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