The holidays don't have to drain you; they can be truly joyful, but it takes a different kind of fight.
Look, I get it. This time of year? It's supposed to be full of cheer, right? Family gatherings, sparkling lights, maybe some festive music. But often, it just feels like more stress. More pressure to be "happy." More expectations that weigh you down like a sack of bricks.
Sound familiar?
I've been there. Not just with the holidays, but with life in general. You see, I'm no stranger to fighting battles. Real battles. The kind waged internally, against habits that steal your joy and your peace. I'm talking about addictions – gaming, binge eating. That general laziness that just pulls you under. It's a fight. A real fight.
And it’s the same principle that helped me lose over 110 pounds. It's the same intentionality that built a productive routine with short, deep work bursts, allowing me to accomplish more in 2-4 hours than I used to in a whole day. It's about getting real with yourself. Cutting through the excuses. And applying practical, spiritual truth.
The holidays are no different. They're a season where it's easy to get swept up, lose your footing, and forget what truly matters. We chase after external joy, but real joy? That comes from within. It’s cultivated. It's protected.
Why Most Holiday "Joy" Feels Like a Lie
Let’s be honest. Society throws a lot at us during the holidays. There’s this relentless consumerism. Buy more, spend more, be more. It's exhausting.
Then there are the family dynamics. Maybe you’ve got that one relative who always knows how to push your buttons. Or the pressure to make everything "perfect." It's a recipe for anxiety, not joy.
And for me, it used to be a free pass. An excuse to fall back into old patterns. "It's the holidays! I deserve this extra slice. This extra hour of mindless scrolling." That's how it starts, isn't it? A small compromise. Then another. And before you know it, you're not joyful. You're just… overwhelmed. Depleted. It’s not true joy; it’s a fleeting sugar rush followed by a crash.
It’s like when I was trying to lose weight. I'd hit my stride, build some momentum. But then a holiday or a social event would come along, and I’d tell myself, "Just this once." And "just this once" turned into a week, a month, undoing all my hard work. You can’t build something lasting on "just this once" excuses. You just can’t.
My Simple Strategy: Anchor Your Soul
So, how do you navigate this minefield of forced cheer and genuine stress? You don’t try to fight the entire tide. You find anchors. Spiritual anchors. Words that cut through the noise and remind you what's real.
These aren’t magic spells, folks. They’re intentional choices. Daily reminders. A conscious redirect of your focus. It’s like when I developed my deep work routine. I didn’t just hope to be productive. I built it. I identified the distractions. I eliminated them. And I set up specific, short bursts of intense focus. That’s the principle. Intentionality.
For our Christian Orthodox faith, these anchors are found in Scripture. Timeless truths that ground us when the world tries to pull us in a thousand directions. They aren't about denying the season. They're about experiencing it profoundly, with true inner peace and gratitude, not the superficial kind.
Your Holiday Battle Plan: Sayings That Stick
Here’s your actionable plan. These are the sayings. The anchors. Use them. Memorize them. Let them penetrate your heart.
"Be still, and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10)
- This one is huge. Absolutely massive. We get so caught up in the hustle and bustle. The endless to-do lists. The demands on our time, our energy. And what happens? We become frantic. Stressed. The Hebrew word for "be still" here, "raphah," it's not just about physical stillness. It means "to let go," "to relax," "to drop." It's about releasing your tight grip on life, on outcomes. It’s about ceasing striving.
- I know this feeling. The constant mental chatter. The urgent need to "fix" everything. To control. That’s how my gaming addiction held me. Always chasing the next level, the next reward. Never truly at peace. But when I finally let go, when I truly surrendered that need for control to God, that’s when things started to change. That's when I could actually know Him, in a way I couldn't when I was trying to run the show myself. This holiday season, step back. Let go. Allow God to be God. Because He is. He’s in control. Not you. And certainly not your endless holiday obligations.
"It is more blessed to give than to receive." (Acts 20:35)
- This isn’t just a nice sentiment for the holiday cards. This is a foundational truth. A core Christian principle. Our culture screams, "Get! Receive! Indulge!" But Jesus, through Paul, tells us something different. True happiness, real fulfillment, doesn’t come from accumulating. It comes from giving.
- When I was battling binge eating, it was all about "receiving." Receiving comfort from food. Receiving a temporary distraction. It was a selfish act, ultimately. But when I shifted my focus, not just in diet but in life, to what I could give – my time, my efforts, my prayers – that’s when I felt a deeper, more profound blessing. Giving aligns with Jesus' own example. He came to serve, not to be served. It develops your character. It fights that natural tendency toward self-centeredness. Don't just hand over a gift. Give your presence. Give your patience. Give your love. It’s not about the monetary value; it's about the heart behind it.
"Let your light shine." (Matthew 5:16)
- You are a Christian. You carry a light. Not your light, really. It’s the light of Christ within you. And it's not meant to be hidden. Ever. Especially not during the holidays when darkness can feel so pervasive. You're meant to display the light of Jesus through your good works.
- This isn’t about showing off. It’s about living in such a way that others see your actions, your goodness, your integrity, and they glorify God, not you. Don't let the commercialism or the secular pressures dim that light. Don’t compromise your faith or your values just to "fit in." Stand firm. Let your behavior, your patience, your kindness, your unwavering faith be a testament. It’s what I try to do with my routine. I don't hide my dedication; I let the results speak for themselves. This is about being who God called you to be, openly and without apology.
"Love your neighbor as yourself." (Mark 12:31)
- This is the second greatest commandment. It’s not optional. It's a profound moral principle. It calls for treating others with the same care, respect, and consideration you'd want for yourself. And here's the kicker: it assumes you love yourself. Not in a narcissistic way, but with a healthy, God-given sense of self-worth.
- During the holidays, family can be… challenging. People can be difficult. But this commandment extends to all of humanity, beyond family and friends. It means empathy. Compassion. Kindness. Even when it’s hard. Especially when it’s hard. My journey away from laziness and self-indulgence wasn’t just about me. It was about becoming someone who could better serve God and others. This means extending grace, forgiving, and actively seeking the well-being of those around you. Even the ones who get on your nerves.
"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances." (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
- These three short phrases? They’re a powerhouse. A roadmap to sustained spiritual joy. "Rejoice always" doesn't mean pretending everything is perfect. It means your joy isn't based on circumstances; it's based on God. Circumstances change. God doesn't.
- "Pray continually" isn't about being on your knees 24/7. It’s about a constant, flowing conversation with God. A spirit of prayer. Always connected. Always attuned. And "give thanks in all circumstances." Not for everything, but in everything. Recognizing God's sovereign hand, even when things are tough.
- This is the daily grind of Christian life. It's the consistency in my faith, even when I'm tired or discouraged. It's the persistent effort in building a routine. These aren’t easy commands, no. But they are God's will for you. And because they are His will, you can do them. Cultivate genuine gratitude this holiday season. Let it be a shield against the inevitable stresses.
It's a Fight, But You've Got This
Nobody said it would be easy. These aren’t passive ideas. They require effort. Intentionality. It’s a fight. To hold onto truth when the world screams distractions. To choose joy when stress tries to creep in.
But you know what? You're stronger than you think. I've faced down habits that felt impossible to break. I've transformed my body and my daily life through sheer, stubborn adherence to principle. And my faith? It’s strengthened every time I lean on God, not my own understanding.
So this holiday season, don't just survive. Don't just go through the motions. Arm yourself with these truths. Anchor your soul. And truly live.
What’s one saying you’ll commit to memory and practice today?
