Everyone gets stressed: celebs, athletes, models, business leaders, people who clean toilets. Likewise, everyone has different stressors: Entertain us! Win the trophy! Be hotter! Close that deal! Make that urinal glisten!

And then there’s the holidays... Fiery family gatherings. Relentless socialising. Buying gifts (translation: spend spend spend). Getting reflective and recalling lowlights from the year that was. The Chrissy period is filled with a whole bunch of possible stress triggers.

Just as everyone gets stressed, everyone also manages stress differently. Sure, it can turn into negative emotion, but it doesn’t have to. So give yourself the gift of less stress these hols.

Say yes to the stress? 🤔💆‍♀️

Stress is bound to happen – especially during this time of year– but there are ways you can manage it:

1. Flip it and reverse it 😖🔜😊

The more you focus on neg thoughts, the more power you give them. If you’re gonna focus on a thought process, why not go for the alternative? Think about something good/funny/that you like instead e.g. dogs wearing clothes – it’ll give your brain some relief from the stress. Remember: no rain, no rainbows! Bad stuff happens sometimes, but so does good stuff.

2. Shhh... 📱💻🤫

If you’re always on-call for work or have that nagging feeling you should be studying over the break, you’re not legit enjoying your time away from work or study. Two words: Airplane Mode. Three more: live your life.

3. Cheers to moderation 🍾🙅🏼‍♂️

You’re probs gonna overdo it in Dec/Jan, but if you’re already stressed, booze and/or stimulants ain’t gonna calm you down, so keep an eye on your level of litness.

4. You snooze, you win 😴😍

Sleep is heaps important (duh?): for rest, for recovery… because it’s an amazing, free way to pamper yourself? Not getting enough will impair how you function and mess with your mood. This is a toughie with all the Chrissy parties and events going on, but try sticking to some kind of routine.

5. Give us a sec ☝️⏳

Take a moment. Just breathe. Focus on that. Putting aside a sec to collect yourself allows you to act instead of react.

6. A new view ☔️🌈

Stress and worry are fuelled by how we perceive and process events. You can’t always control a situation, but you can control how you respond to it. Look at the facts and try not to get too fixated on the feelings e.g. someone sending a short reply to a message might mean they’re busy, not that they’re pissed at you.

7. You aren’t a fortune teller 🔮✋

Worrying about the future can stop you from taking action that’ll calm you down/help in the here and now.

8. Call for backup 💕✨

Family, friends, pets. There are people/animals in your life who can support you and help you out if you’re feeling overwhelmed.

If you need help…

Beyondblue

Black Dog Institute

Lifeline

Headspace

You’re not alone.