{"id":69590,"date":"2022-11-21T08:23:47","date_gmt":"2022-11-21T14:23:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/?p=69590"},"modified":"2024-04-06T06:13:04","modified_gmt":"2024-04-06T06:13:04","slug":"thanksgiving-stress-4-ways-to-keep-your-cool-during-the-holidays","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/news\/thanksgiving-stress-4-ways-to-keep-your-cool-during-the-holidays\/","title":{"rendered":"Thanksgiving Stress: 4 Ways to Keep Your Cool During the Holidays"},"content":{"rendered":"
Thanksgiving is meant to be a time of gratitude, abundance, and delicious meals \u2013 but it\u2019s frequently served with a side of stress, too. Between travel time, sharing personal updates with extended family members, and figuring out how the heck to defrost a turkey, the holiday is known to throw an unexpected curveball or two.<\/p>\n

To help embrace the sweeter side of the season, we\u2019re sharing four actionable tips to help you manage any Thanksgiving-related stress as it comes:<\/p>\n

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1. Take a deep breath before responding to an uncomfortable question or comment<\/h2>\n

Have a relative or friend who\u2019s prying you for details you\u2019d rather not share? Or maybe your sibling touched on a sore spot \u2013 and you\u2019re feeling hurt, or angry.<\/p>\n

Reacting in the moment may cause you to say some things you regret. Before responding to what you perceive as a snide, condescending, or generally inappropriate remark or question, grant yourself a mental and emotional pause.<\/p>\n

One helpful, calming technique is diaphragmatic breathing.<\/p>\n

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  1. Place your hand on your abdomen, just above your navel.<\/li>\n
  2. Breathe in, through your nose, with your belly \u2013 you should feel your stomach inflate.<\/li>\n
  3. Hold your breath for three seconds, and release.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Afterwards, you\u2019ll likely feel more refreshed, and removed from the question or comment \u2013 and as a result, you\u2019ll be able to answer in a calmer state of mind. If you\u2019re at the dinner table, you can excuse yourself to the restroom, take a few of these deep diaphragmatic breaths, and return with a bit more calm in your system.<\/p>\n

    \u201cBefore responding to what you perceive as a snide, condescending, or generally inappropriate remark or question, grant yourself a mental and emotional pause.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    2. Have some topics at the ready to easily switch gears<\/h2>\n

    What Netflix series have you been streaming? How \u2019bout them Red Sox?<\/p>\n

    Make sure you have conversational topics ready if you\u00a0really<\/em>\u00a0need to change the subject. If someone in your family brings up a topic that\u2019s a sore spot for you or anyone else, deflect to something more positive.<\/p>\n

    To change the subject in a non-abrupt way, have some conversational bridges up your sleeve.<\/p>\n

    Lead the new topic with an exciting preface, like \u201cOh, that reminds me \u2013 I\u2019ve been meaning to tell you!\u201d or change the focus to another person \u2013 including the person you\u2019re talking to.<\/p>\n

    The simple act of asking \u201cWhat are your thoughts on the matter?\u201d is often distracting enough to remove you from an uncomfortable spotlight.<\/p>\n

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    3. Take control of what you can<\/h2>\n

    If you\u2019re hosting, here are some tips to make the setup conducive to a less stressful evening:<\/p>\n