7 Somatic Holiday Stress Tips for Busy Moms

The holidays are finally here! And whether that brings in a beam of joy for you or a mix of unsettled emotions, know that there’s nothing wrong with either. For me, it’s a mix of both honestly. I absolutely love the holidays. It’s been my favorite time of year for as long as I can remember. There’s something about the start of the brisk coolness in the air, the holiday lights twinkling in the streets, and every holiday coffee flavor you can imagine. 

And when I became a mother, the joy for the holidays only intensified. I got to add festive holiday events, messy snow cookie baking, and gingerbread house building to the list of favorite holiday activities. Seeing my daughters eyes light up for it all is the cherry on top.

But unfortunately, it’s not this joyous every second of the holiday season. Not only is it my favorite season, it’s also my busiest. And since I became a mom, that has intensified as well. It can feel hard to be a busy mom during the holidays. The to-do list becomes longer and our energy levels pay the price. 

It’s so easy to lose sight of the joy that fills the air during the holiday season when you’re so overwhelmed with the errands behind the scenes. But the overwhelm doesn’t have to become the reality of your holidays. With these 7 somatic stress tips, you’ll be able to manage the busy and keep the joy this season and focus on what matters most, your family. 

HAVE A PLAN

I know, this is much easier said than done. The holiday season sometimes doesn’t leave time for a plan. Especially when you’re a busy mom. Many times we just have to go with the flow. But it’s not a bad idea to know how you’ll want to deal with holiday stress before it consumes your season. Here are a few somatic questions to ask yourself to help you get ahead of the holiday stress this season.

• What typically overwhelms you during the holiday season?
• How do you know you’re stressed? Where in your body do you often feel it?
• What typically helps relieve your stress?

I know they’re simple, but these questions are a great starting point to understanding how well you know your body and how to keep in tune with it during the busy holiday season.

RESPECT YOUR BOUNDARIES

The holidays are truly a special time. But you’re often much busier than usual. You’re attending many festive events and sharing time with much more people than you’re probably typically used to. And whatever this time means for you, whatever emotions that may stir up within you, know that you can always respect your boundaries. Because so much is happening so fast, it may become difficult to notice whether you’re feeling secure within your boundaries.

Notice if you’re stretching them and notice when that may or may not feel comfortable for you in your body. Pause and literally ask yourself: Do I feel like I’m respecting my boundaries right now? And if the answer is no, shift, with compassion and grace. Your awareness surrounding your boundaries is key. Once you’ve noticed a somatic misalignment, you’re much more likely to shift back within your boundaries and avoid becoming reactive.

CHECK YOUR TONE

Being aware of your tone is another great way to recognize your stress levels and when you may need support to find ease this holiday. And by tone, I don’t mean your voice. Although you may have to check that too if you end up letting the season overwhelm you. What I’m referring to is the somatic tone of your body: the urgency your body is feeling at any given moment. And a great way to measure your tone level is tapping.

When you feel yourself beginning to stress out over how you’re ever going to make it to every holiday event this season,  allow yourself to tap lightly on your chest to match the urgency you’re feeling at that moment. 

If you notice fast tapping, you’re feeling a lot of urgency, while slower tapping reflects less. Notice if your tone, your sense of urgency, matches the situation you’re dealing with. If not, look back at that plan you have in place to help lessen your tone and bring you back to feeling present during Santa visits and thoughtful gift shopping for your loved ones. 

PRIORITIZE PEACE

Our mama list of to-dos becomes scary long during the holidays. And everything on that list feels quite important because you created it from your heart for your little one and your loved ones. But I don’t think I have to tell you how easy it can become to get lost in the needs of others and lose your needs in the process. Suddenly that list doesn’t feel exciting, it feels daunting. What started as a gesture from the heart can begin to feel like a necessary obligation. And what fun is that? You have to find a way to  prioritize your peace as a busy mom during the holidays. You have to prioritize yourself. Think:

• What does it feel like in your body when you’re at peace?
• Is there a person, place, color, ect. that helps you feel this peace?

Whatever it is for you, keep that somatic resource in your back pocket. It may be just the thing you need to keep you at peace this holiday season.

REMEMBER GRATITUDE

In the midst of all your child’s photo refusals and the terribly failed gingerbread cookies, always remember to be grateful. Remember your why. 

• Why is sharing these holiday moments with your little one so important to you? 
• How does creating these memories with your family make you feel?

That feeling, hold it. Embrace it. Remember it. When you have the somatic body knowledge to understand how you hold gratitude, where you hold gratitude and how you can share it with yourself, it is a powerful tool to help bring you back to your why. And whenever you stray, your body will always remind you how. You just have to listen.

CHOOSE JOY

Will you feel like a stressed out mom a time or two during the holidays? Probably. Does that mean you’re doing it all wrong? Absolutely not. Whether you feel like your holiday season is flowing perfectly or imperfectly flowing, there’s truly joy in both. Seeing the way your child’s eyes light up when they see the first Christmas tree of the season and crossing off even just one item on your never ending to-do list are both joyous moments! 

The key is to choose joy in the beautiful chaos of it all. 

And the season isn’t just about choosing to give joy, it’s also about choosing to receive it. So share a little joy with yourself. Give yourself grace. When others are sharing joy with you, receive it. Absorb it. Notice the somatic difference in how your body feels when you do. Notice how differently you show up in your holiday season. Not just for your family, but for yourself. Trust me, you’ll be happy you did. 

CONSTRUCTIVE REST

Yes, I said it, rest. It’s possible I promise. Even for busy moms during the holidays. And the somatic technique of constructive rest is a great way to help alleviate any stress the holidays may stir up during the season. Constructive rest includes placing your body in a comfortable enough position that it begins to naturally relieve the stresses your body may be holding. Here are a few steps for constructive rest:

• Lay flat on your back
• Bend or elevate knees comfortably and support neck and head
• Allow your body to release any stresses it may be holding

The goal is to become as comfortable as possible to alleviate any tension being held. Hold this position for as long as it feels right for you. This could be 1 minute, this could be 15. This is about finding not only rest, but your comfort with rest. Most moms aren’t quite used to it. But with small steps, your body will remind you that it’s safe and you deserve it. 

What I love about all of these somatic stress tips is how simple and quick they can be to easily integrate into your holiday season. Whether you’re in the middle of managing a melt down at the holiday festival or dancing in the holiday lights with your little one, know that these tips will see you through the overwhelm and bring you back to your holiday peace. 

Don’t forget to check out my 5-Day Somatic Challenge for additional somatic stress release practices you can use all year round. Or join The Eased Mama Membership for monthly support in managing the motherhood overwhelm and holding your peace.

And regardless of wherever you are in your holiday season, know you’re doing more than enough and it means more to your family than you could ever imagine. I wish you and your family a beautiful holiday season!