Take a Break! (Seriously, a real break.)
This month begins the whirlwind known as the Holiday Season here in America. Between the months of October and February, there are countless holidays celebrated by all different cultures. From Halloween to Valentine's day, it can feel like running a marathon trying to make plans, compromise with families, buy gifts, and maintain everyday responsibilities. Bump it up to an Ultramarathon if you celebrate a birthday in the midst of all the holidays! Sounds like a time of supreme bliss and merriment, right?
Unfortunately, anybody over the age of ten knows that the holidays can carry much more weight and stress than that. Coordinating times with different sides of a family, cooking and cleaning galore, stress to buy the biggest and best presents, etc. can put a ton of stress on the people in charge of handling it all. Not to mention constantly adjusting to hectic work/school schedules in between the holidays! In short, this time of year can be magical, but that magic doesn't come from thin air.
That being said, it is important to make sure you actually do what these holidays were intended for; take a break! Maybe that looks like saying "no" to one more social event and spending time with your immediate family instead. Or bringing store bought cookies to the party instead of slaving away for hours over home-made ones. Resurrect a tradition you loved, but never seem to have time for. Maybe it simply looks like letting yourself sleep in later than you usually would!
No matter how you do it, make sure to take some time to rest, relax, and recharge.
