Congratulations! You made it through the first of the traditional holidays. I hope your Thanksgiving was everything you wanted it to be. By now the extended family is back home and the leftovers are almost history…. hallelujah! If you celebrate, it is time to focus on the most wonderful time of the year.
DEMANDS
For many, it is time to hit the ground running. We have demands and expectations to meet. We are all busy and have many facets to our lives. We will be juggling family, friends, co-workers, partners, children, home life, work commitments, and holiday festivities.
OUTTA CONTROL
Just reading that last paragraph made me tired. The feeling of being overwhelmed this time is year is completely normal. Often we find there are simply not enough hours in the day. The stress of the holidays can suck the joy right out of the season. We have to be in control…or do we? My blog inspiration this week came from a quote by Austrian psychiatrist Viktor Frankl who said, “Control the Controllable.” Read that again. What a concept.
HOW?
I will synopsize an article from www.roystonguest.com that gives a few tips on how to control the controllable, especially during this time of year.
- Each time you say “yes” to something unimportant, you are saying “no” to something important. You can’t be all things to all people.
- Swap your “To-Do” list for a “Success List.” This can re-position your purpose and your focus. You’ll find you are acting on the highest priority items.
- Do it, delegate it, or dump it.
- Allow thinking time. It is easy to get caught up continuously doing the same things the same way. Stop, think and explore better options and more effective ways.
- Be efficient and effective. Efficient is doing things right and effective is doing the right things right.
- Develop the ability to maintain focus on the things you have control over. Controlling the controllable is particularly important under distracting or stressful circumstances.
STRESS AFFECTS YOUR HEALTH
High levels of stress hormones can affect your health and can put you at increased risk for a variety of physical and mental health problems. These issues can include anxiety, depression, digestive issues, headaches, muscle tension and pain, heart disease, heart attack, high blood pressure, stroke, sleep problems, weight gain, hair loss, memory and concentration impairment.
THAT BEING SAID…
Enjoy the upcoming holiday season! Be mindful and reduce your stress. Control only what you can control and let the rest go. Take down time for yourself. Relax and refresh. Don’t put your health at risk. If you aren’t feeling particularly well, stay in communication with your healthcare provider. If we can assist in the journey to better health through diagnostic ultrasound, call us at 505-350-3397.