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Sometimes, the most beloved holiday also brings the most stress. Between dozens of family gatherings, work parties, and festive traditions, a season meant for peace and joy quickly brings anxiety, overwhelm, and despair. Before we know it, we’re waiting for the season to end rather than savoring its precious moments.
If you’re anything like me, anxiety during a time like Christmas comes naturally. You don’t ask for it to appear, it just does. Unfortunately, anxiety is a thief of many things, including our presence. This season, here are three tips I’m taking to beat (or reduce) holiday anxiety one step at a time.
1. Focus on your Present
In Luke 10, we read a fairly common and well-known interaction between Mary, Martha, and Jesus. While Mary decides to sit at Jesus’ feet when He arrives, grinning from ear to ear and listening intently, Martha is too busy clearing, cooking, and preparing for His arrival. Mary chose to focus on the present, but Martha was preoccupied with many other things.
“While Jesus and his followers were traveling, he went into a town, and a woman named Martha let him stay at her house. She had a sister named Mary. Mary was sitting at Jesus’ feet and listening to him teach. But her sister Martha was busy doing all the work that had to be done. Martha went in and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are getting worried and upset about too many things. Only one thing is important. Mary has made the right choice, and it will never be taken away from her” (Luke 10:38-42, ERV).
If we want to reduce anxiety during a hustling and bustling season, we must begin by focusing on our present. Instead of looking forward or behind, try focusing on the most essential tasks for this moment, right now. As Jesus said to Martha, many things will fight for our attention, but only one thing is important.
Focusing on your present looks like:
-Being mindful of the moment: Being aware of sights, sounds, and smells. Try putting away your phone when you’re out and about and looking around you.
-Taking time to breathe and re-center: Especially when you’re feeling overwhelmed, take a few moments to breathe, unclench your jaw, and shake out your shoulders.
-Meditating on God’s Word: Choose one or two simple Scriptures this season that you can easily memorize. When anxiety feels great within you, bring these verses to mind in a prayer to God.
