by: E.B. Johnson

We are in the final days of the Christmas rush and everything feels like it’s coming to a head. As you scramble to track down the last of your holiday gift list, you may feel like the stress is really starting to get to you. It’s understandable. There’s a lot of pressure during the holiday season to perform in the name of our loved ones. We can get so caught up in creating the perfect Christmas, that we fail to enjoy it for ourselves.

Don’t get crushed beneath the weight of holiday stress. Even as we speed into the final days before Christmas and New Year’s Eve, it’s important to make time for yourself and ensure that your emotional and physical batteries are recharged. You can do this in just a few minutes a day and using positive affirmations is a great place to begin.

The last-minute affirmations that can help get you through the Christmas rush.

While you may not have time for bubble baths and totally secluded me-time, you do have enough room in your day to step aside for a few minutes and breathe. Mindset has a lot to do with our mood during the holiday season. Improve yours with these positive affirmations so you can get through the final push before Christmas.

“My life is filled with things to be grateful for.”

When you’re spiraling into a sea of stress, you can become overwhelmed by negative thoughts. These thoughts taint everything around you, including your holiday celebrations. But they can be defeated with gratitude. Focus each day on things you still have to be grateful for. If you have family to celebrate with, and love in your life — you’re not doing too bad in the scheme of things.

“This is only a window in time.”

Remind yourself each day that this season is only a brief window in time. Obligations to your family and friends might be pushing you to the brink, but it won’t last forever. Soon, the Christmas and New Year’s season will be over, and we’ll be back to focusing on those regular responsibilities which fill our day-to-day lives. Take a deep breath and repeat this mantra over-and-over again.

“Making other people happy makes me happy.”

If you are someone with a young family, you may find yourself making a lot of sacrifices during the holiday season. Remind yourself of the bigger reason behind these sacrifices and remember how happy it makes you to make other people happy. This is a great time of year to tap into that more self-less core of who we are. Giving for the sake of giving is a beautiful reminder of the power of kindness and love.

“I deserve to treat myself.”

Are you indulging yourself this holiday season? Giving yourself a few more gifts than you might have during the regular year? If you’re not, you should be. You deserve to treat yourself, just as you treat the people you love. The holidays don’t have to be only about giving to others. We can reward ourselves for making it through a difficult year, and we can do it without feeling guilty. Be your own Santa Claus.

“I make time for myself every day.”

Self-care doesn’t go on hold during the holidays, it only changes shape. While you may not be able to take all the normal time for meditation, bubble baths, or spa days — you can take a few breaths each day for yourself. Use your affirmations. Take a 20-minute nap. Do what you need to do to recharge and re-center yourself. If your emotional battery is too low, you won’t be able to fully enjoy the holidays or the time you spend with those you love.

“I am connecting on deeper levels.”

The festive season is marked by all the excess time we get to spend with those we love. While this may look different this year, it still rings true. Rather than getting frustrated by a sense of over-presence, choose to see this time with loved-ones as special. Drop the little aggravations and remind yourself that you’ve got a rare opportunity to connect on deeper levels.

“I am more than capable enough.”

Do you feel like you’re starting to crumble under the Christmas stress? Does it seem like you won’t be able to make it to the big day? When we take on too much responsibility, or we put too much importance on the day — it can skyrocket our expectations and set us up for disappointment. Take it easy on yourself. You don’t have to make this a perfect Christmas. Whatever you put together is going to be lovely just as it is.

“This Christmas is going to be filled with joy.”

If you’ve already experienced some setbacks (or you run into them on the day) don’t allow them to derail your entire holiday. Take a step back and take a deep breath. There is no such thing as a “perfect” Christmas. Look for the gratitude that is everywhere around you and appreciate what you have. This holiday will be filled with joy if you simply allow it to be.

“I am happy with simplicity and change.”

There can be no doubting that this Christmas season is going to look dramatically different from those of previous years. In order to enjoy ourselves fully, we’re going to have to learn to look at this time in a whole new light. Be grateful for the loved ones you have in your life and be grateful for the health that you have. Find the beauty in a more simple Christmas, and embrace change and all the new traditions which come from it.

Quick tips for holiday self-care.

When the affirmations aren’t cutting it, make sure you take a step to the side and take some time for yourself. Re-invest in yourself and make quick self-care a priority throughout the holiday season.

1. Check in with yourself regularly

Sure, you don’t have time to take hours-and-hours to yourself each day. You do have enough time to check in with yourself, though, and take stock of your emotions and your energy levels.

Each day, take a personal time out and engage with the inner you. Take stock of where you’re at. How are you feeling? Why are you feeling that way? Are there actions you can take to get yourself back to a happy place? Be present in your body and with your emotions. Record what picks you up and what tears you down.

2. Make your own safe space

You need to create a safe space for yourself this Christmas; a space where you can decompress and get 5 minutes of quiet when your mind is feeling chaotic. Find a place in your home where you can be alone. If that’s not possible, find a quiet place outdoors where you can bundle up and be with yourself for a while.

This safe space is where you need to go when you’re feeling frazzled and pushed to the edge. Rather than allowing yourself to blow up, or say something which you regret — you can decompress and have a few minutes to think through your emotions and how you actually want to proceed in the future. Weigh up your options and consider how you want your Christmas to play out.

3. Always opt for compassion

No matter how hard you try to make this the perfect holiday season, things are going to go wrong. There’s going to be setbacks. Gifts aren’t going to arrive on time. It’s to be expected at the end of a year that was filled with the unexpected.

Always opt for compassion, especially when it comes to yourself. Be understanding and don’t be too hard on that inner you when it all goes wrong. You’re going to mess up, you’re going to get into fights, or miss something you should have known about. It’s okay. We’re all doing the best we can, and all that matters is that we fill this season of love.

Putting it all together…

We are in the final days of the holiday season and stress is at an all-time-high. As we make our final plans, and make a mad dash toward the Christmas finish line — it can feel as though we’re crumbling beneath the pressure, responsibility, and stress.

Lean into some holiday affirmations that can help you resolve some of that disquiet and stress. Remind yourself of everything you have to be grateful for and remember to prioritize yourself as much as you prioritize the people who you love. Even during the Christmas season, self-care is important. Recharge your mental and emotional batteries so that you can fully enjoy this special time with the people who you care for most.