Friday Distractions (& Giveaway!): Our Top 5 Ways To Stay Chill During the Holidays

Even the mellowest among us aren’t immune to the stress of the holidays. Between travel, entertaining, shopping, visits with extended family, year-end work deadlines, and the inevitable cold or flu bug, it can feel like there’s no time to just chill. We take chilling pretty seriously here at Carve Designs, so we’ve pulled together five of our favorite ways to stay chill during the holidays. 

1. Practice the art of saying no. There are plenty of ways to say it. Some of our favorites include “I’m sorry but I just can’t make that work right now,” “I wish I could but unfortunately I have too much on my plate right now,” and “I have to pass this time but hopefully I can make it work another time.” Another pot luck, another gift exchange you don’t care about, a pointless meeting, a holiday party that you know will be dreadful - it’s okay to say no. Time and energy are precious (especially in December), and using them both wisely is the surest way to maintain your inner chill.
2. Don’t forget the simple pleasures. The holidays are often about going big. Big meals, big trips, big gifts, big experiences and big memories. While all the big stuff is great, sometimes it can crowd out simple pleasures like snuggling up with your favorite person, watching an old favorite movie in your favorite sweats (hello Baxter Fleece Pant and Chelsea Top), walking to your favorite coffee shop on Saturday morning (instead of going to the mall), and discovering an old classic drink with a holiday twist (we're looking at you Champagne Mojito). Or finding a new song that lifts your mood (here's our pick: Bad Ones (feat. Tegan and Sara). 
3. Get outside. Even if it’s grey. Even if it’s cold (hey, there’s a jacket for that). Even if it doesn’t sound fun right off the bat. Fresh air is good for the soul, and nature always seems to help bring things into perspective. Who couldn’t use a little soul therapy and fresh perspective this time of year? We’re partial to the beach, but your favorite trail, park, greenbelt or neighborhood walk will all do. Bonus points if you can leave your phone in your pocket the whole time.
4. Use your strengths. Do you love to create beautiful tablescapes but get overwhelmed at the thought of cooking a fancy dinner? Set up that beautiful table and order a ready made meal from your local natural foods market. Your family will appreciate your sanity more than they care about a home-cooked meal. Lean in to the things you enjoy and the areas where you shine, and try to outsource or delegate the rest. You don’t need permission, we promise.
5. Be aggressively grateful. It’s easy to feel a little inadequate this time of year. There’s always that one gift you can’t afford, that one tradition you always mess up, that one family who seems to do everything better than yours, that one remark from a relative that makes you see red. While you may not be able to avoid all that, you can force yourself to look for all the things to be grateful for in the midst of the chaos. Health, belly laughs, a good parking spot, free shipping, a good hair day, a new friend, twinkly lights. The more attention you pay to the good stuff, the less the stressful stuff seems to matter.

Holiday stress is unavoidable, but it doesn’t have to rule the season. Give yourself the gift of getting serious about chilling this month. We think you’re worth it.