Health

How 6 Women Handled Their Most Stressful Holiday Moments

Deciding where to go for the holidays, dealing with the absence of a loved one and other moments that showed these women what they're made of

by Lindsay Tigar | COMMENT

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Hosting a Dinner Party for 20 People Taught Me How to Savor Moments As anyone who has hosted friends for dinner and drinks, entertaining isn't an easy-peasy gig, but one that requires continuous upkeep for the duration of the affair. That's a lesson creative director of ORLY Beauty Shanee Pink learned when she decided to host a holiday dinner for 20 of her most beloved folks. Because she's a self-proclaimed perfectionist, yet a novice cook and a full-time employee, she struggled to balance her high expectations with effective execution. After countless trips to the grocery store to ensure she had the exact ingredients to make every dish delectable, she found herself up and on her feet from the second guests arrived -- and then some.

Half-way through the meal, she realized she was holding her breath as she was serving and the self-inflicted stress on her body was taking a toll. So, she paused, made a getaway to the restroom and exhaled. "I was so focused on making a good impression on my guests that I lost sight of the point of a holiday dinner," she explains. "Realizing how much pressure I had put on myself, I made a decision that the work has been done, and now it's time to let it all be and just enjoy the moment with my family and friends."

The lesson of being present is one that's echoed throughout the year, but especially during the holidays, when you think back on the blessings and experiences of the past 12 months. It's been an education moment that's impacted other areas of Pink's life. "As women we sometimes have such high expectations of ourselves to 'do it all' and be the most amazing girlfriend/wife, co-worker and host, but sometimes we just got to let something go, so we can actually enjoy life."

Image via Shanee Pink

SEE NEXT PAGE: Spending My First Christmas Alone Taught Me the Value of Perspective

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