It’s the season of the year when we are reminded to give thanks for what we have, to give abundantly, and to spend “quality” time with the members of our families (even the ones we don’t like). Even though we all try to do these things, it is hard for us to keep the holiday spirit flowing and get a little “blue”. Being crowded into a room half full of people that can’t eat solid foods, like my grandfather (age: 91) and one of my cousins (age: 3 months), will make you want to never want to have kids, or get old. Buying gifts and traveling can weigh heavy on budgets; don’t forget about all the cooking, cleaning, and parties that all need YOU! Don’t get me wrong, I love my family and enjoy the time I have with them, but sometime you can have too much of a good thing. Some of my extended family may be related to me, but sometimes have a difficult time “relating” to me. My occasional frustrations during these family gatherings almost always stems directly from the stresses that burden every one of us through the holiday season. Whether it’s getting stuck in traffic on I-35 in Austin, your flight getting delayed at DFW, grandparents’ wanting more grandkids, or having to referee arguments between uncles, stress builds rapidly and everyone needs/deserves a way to resolve their anxiety.
In my experience, nothing can measure up to stress relieving qualities of being outdoors. Like me, many of you like to hunt or fish for the excitement of the pursuit and the overall understanding of the clandestine nature of the experiences. Even though those are attractive qualities, just being in the outdoors can provide an enormous sense of freedom that can ease the stress brought about by the holidays. Being in the great outdoors, off the couch and away from the TV, will help get your mind off your worries and get you thinking about the simplest of things, like birds, leaves, the wind, etc. There is no way to completely escape the stressors of the holiday season and sometime we can get the “blues”, but try not to get overwhelmed and remember what this season is all about. If you feel like you’re getting down, get up and go for a walk in a park, to the lake and walk around, the beach, the pier, anywhere outside. It can do wonders for stress.
In my experience, nothing can measure up to stress relieving qualities of being outdoors. Like me, many of you like to hunt or fish for the excitement of the pursuit and the overall understanding of the clandestine nature of the experiences. Even though those are attractive qualities, just being in the outdoors can provide an enormous sense of freedom that can ease the stress brought about by the holidays. Being in the great outdoors, off the couch and away from the TV, will help get your mind off your worries and get you thinking about the simplest of things, like birds, leaves, the wind, etc. There is no way to completely escape the stressors of the holiday season and sometime we can get the “blues”, but try not to get overwhelmed and remember what this season is all about. If you feel like you’re getting down, get up and go for a walk in a park, to the lake and walk around, the beach, the pier, anywhere outside. It can do wonders for stress.