While a lot of people have time off from work and school to enjoy the holidays, the season can be quite overwhelming for many. The traveling (hopefully not too much during COVID-19), the food prep, the gift buying … it can all feel overwhelming. 

It’s important that you take some time for rest and to find inner peace during this season. Here are some tips that can help.

Five ways to find inner peace during the busy holiday season

1. Prioritize your life — Take a look at everything you need to do during the season. Not just the major milestones like cooking a turkey for a Christmas feast, but everything on a daily basis. Do you have time for yourself in this schedule? What about God? Make a schedule that includes daily personal time for yourself to get some rest, connect with God or simply enjoy one of your favorite hobbies.
2. Eat well — A poor diet that is heavy in saturated fats, fried foods, red meat, sugar and processed grains can make you feel sluggish, weak and even sore. Improving your diet with healthier foods can help you feel more energized and focused. Try including more foods in your diet like lean proteins, unsaturated fats, leafy greens, colorful fruits and vegetables, and whole grains.
3. Go outside — Getting outdoors ican be revitalizing. Go for a walk, a jog, a hike or a bike ride. If you have a dog, take it outside with you for a daily walk. Your pet will appreciate it as much as you. Just remember to bring a bag to clean up any mess!
4. Do something good — Do something good for someone else. Find a way to serve, such as in a food kitchen for the homeless or in an animal shelter. Serving others helps benefit the world while also enriching your own spiritual life and inner peace.
5. Let go of what you can’t control — One of the main reasons many of us have a hard time finding inner peace, especially during the holidays, is that we can’t let go of what we can’t control. The problem with this is there is so much outside of your control. It’s not worth letting it all affect the one thing you can control: yourself.

   Focus on accepting the situation in the world around you and not letting it stress you out. If there is something you don’t like about the world, then find ways to be part of the solution to the problem instead of stressing about it.

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