‘Tis the season for tons of fun, joy, and celebration, right? So why do many of us feel stressed now and drained (both physically and financially) by the end of December?

Despite the hustle and bustle that may cause us anxiety and lack of cash flow this time of year, there are ways around the stress and strain. Read more to learn how to get through the holidays with more health, wealth, and happiness.

If you want to feel inspired, healthy, and filled with joy this season, check out the tips below . . . and discover some life-altering ways to navigate through the thick of the holidays.

Here are three ways to get through the holidays with less stress and more joy so you enjoy the holiday festivities, even more, this year.

1. Make value-based decisions.

Once you have something in mind for how you want things to go down this holiday season, you can increase your chances of success by making your decisions based on what you value most. Make a list of your top five values. And then ask yourself, “What can I do today to make sure I’m honoring my values?”

Reduce anxiety naturally by incorporating value-based decision making (decisions that are driven by love, family, God, spirituality, peace, joy, work/life balance, fun, etc.) into your goal setting process. And when you use this technique, you’ll find yourself more committed to the goals you want to accomplish.

There’s more chance of success and happiness when you’re doing what serves you and your highest purpose in life. Decisions you make based on your core values—along with a clear vision of what you want to accomplish—create motivational alignment.

2. Make a holiday budget in advance and stick to it.

Most people get in trouble over the holidays because of emotional spending. If you’re buying stuff just to buy stuff for people, this is a clear warning sign you’ll end up spending a bunch of money you don’t have.

So instead of overspending and going into debt this year, create a budget and keep track of your seasonal expenses. Come up with a holiday budget where you break everything down. What do you have to spend on your family, friends, employees, yourself, and your vacation this year?

And even if you don’t fall prey to mass consumerism and hyper-materialism, you may want to stick to a budget anyway. It’s a good habit to get into, especially if you want to retire early.

If you find your cash flow coming up short this month, think of ways you can earn a little extra income on the side. Can you sell that dusty, ol’ telescope on eBay? In order to make the holiday magic happen, what can you do to make more money on the side?

And instead of compulsive shopping, try taking up a new hobby . . . like knitting. Everyone wants a handmade, red scarf for Christmas, right? Be resourceful and creative as you think of ways to generate a little more income for your seasonal spending.

This way, in the new year, you’ll be free of any debt and debt-related stress that may result from the joy of giving now.

3. Set your health, wealth, and happiness goals for December and pre-commit to them by mentally rehearsing your ideal day.

Now it’s time to create goals that align with your values. What do you want your physical, mental/emotional, and spiritual health experience to be this year? Dive into the details . . . visualize yourself celebrating with friends and family . . . and write down what your ideal holiday experience looks and feels like.

Set your goal(s) and establish a pre-commitment of what you’re going to do and how you’re going to act when situations arise that through you off of your game.

Take 3-5 minutes each morning for the rest of the month of December practice creative visualization to help you happily and healthfully move through the experiences of your day. As you pre-commit to having a successful day, week, and month, you’re empowering yourself to overcome stress-related symptoms in the mind and body.

Pre-commitment also enables you to easily incorporate techniques that work best for you (i.e. taking a walk, meditating, and resting when you need to; practicing mindfulness while eating, drinking, listening, and speaking during the holiday hoopla).

When you practice this type of positive mental rehearsal first thing in the morning, it’ll be much easier to go through the motions of your day in real-time.

Do things that inspire you instead of doing things that expire you . . . And when you do things that make you smile, make you happy, and that put you on track and target for what you love, that’s what’s going to help you make this holiday season better than any other . . .

John Assaraf

Wishing you and yours a happy, healthy, and wealthy holiday season from all of us at NeuroGym!