3 Things to Help You Enjoy the Christ-Celebrated Season
Dr. Frank Mancuso founded CCCRD in 1983, serving clients in Marlton until his retirement in 2019. Frank passed away in May of 2022, but his words continue to inspire and form us today. Here’s Frank’s reflections on enjoying all that Christmas offers while avoiding the stress it can bring.
1. Schedule downtime!
A preventive and helpful technique during times of stress is to give sufficient attention to physical, psychological and spiritual symptoms which are precursors to burnout, such as: irritability, fatigue, loss of interest, and relational disconnection. Scheduling downtime before, during, and after the holidays can minimize the effect of stress. Allow yourself to bathe in the quietness of some “want to’s” instead of “have to’s”.
2. Be assertive!
Being assertive is not being aggressive, is not a demonstration of selfishness, and doesn’t mean you fail to give due consideration to or care about others. Scripture uses the word “bold” to refer to combating fear, which is often the culprit when people retreat from being assertive. Most often, people are afraid of offending or hurting others and are afraid of anger—their own and others. Erroneously, Christians may think that being a Christian means peace at all costs, but that is not how Jesus lived. He very frequently challenged, confronted, and openly stood against inappropriate traditions and personal preferences. Simply put, assertiveness is a learned skill that makes confident declarations that affirm one’s rights and opinions without trampling others’.
3. Go at a healthy family-determined pace!
Now is the time to meet with family members to discuss holiday wishes and hopes. Once everyone has weighed in the family can decide on an itinerary. Families would do well to avoid cramming in everything. If the plan leads to feelings of stress and burdensome thoughts of “Christmas tasks” and questions like “How are we going to do it all?” then the plan can be revised.