Well it's day 31 and I saved my most valuable tip for last. When I looked back over the years that I felt stressed and overwhelmed through the holidays, I tried to pinpoint what my stress triggers were. Many of them I've shared over the last 30 days. Planning ahead and not procrastinating really seemed to alleviate a great deal of my stress. However in recent years, I realized that I was planning lots of fun things for everyone else. I focused on doing rather than enjoying. I dislike the phrase "me time" because it sounds selfish but I also know that when I have some time to relax and be alone I seem to cope with life a bit better. So I began looking for a few things that I could do to keep me sane through the holidays. Because our schedules can be hectic during December, I make a point of taking a night or an afternoon to go out for coffee with my husband. We usually bring our laptops and go to one of our favorite coffee houses. We have a blast sharing favorite websites and making plans for the future. When you live with a "techie" who has ADHD you need to find ways to connect that work best for them. I know that it may not seem romantic to be gazing at each other over computer screens or some may feel like "he's not giving you his full attention" but it works for us. I also try to go out for coffee with a few lady
friends. Girl time always does wonders for de-stressing.
The past few years I have made a special trip to the library to 
check out a Christmas novel for myself. Some of my favorites are books by Debbie Macomber. They are fun quick reads usually with a touch of romance. Last year I read The Christmas Dog by Melody Carlson. It was a charming Christian fiction book I downloaded for free on my Kindle. Every night I take a cup of cocoa or tea to the comfy chair in my room and spend some time reading.
Whatever your plans for the Christmas season are, I hope you can use some of the tips I've shared to have a joyful season making precious memories with your loved ones.
May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you and yours as you celebrate the birth of the King of Glory.
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