Dr. Darcy’s Holiday Survival Guide

Welcome back to the Holiday Edition of Tuesday’s Tips. For the entire month of December, I’m dedicating every Tuesday to dispensing 1 tip designed to help YOU survive the holidays. Last week we talked about the importance of setting boundaries in managing stress. I gave you a challenge to turn down one request or invitation. If you missed last week’s post, I’ve linked to it here.

This week we’re embracing the holiday green – CASH, that is. Money is one of the biggest stressors around the holidays – and it need not be. Follow my 1 tip this week and watch your money stress melt away:

Pretend your money is not your own. You are a personal assistant, hired to buy only the items that your boss gave you on a list. You, of course, will need to make lists before heading into any store, virtual or physical. Stick to the list, and you’ll have a force field of self-control the likes of which you’ve never seen. If you find in a week that it’s worked, do it for another week. Take it a week at a time. Good luck!