With the holiday season approaching faster than any of us can keep up with, most of us are starting to get that yearly holiday stress. A survey conducted by Healthline a few years ago indicated that only 10 percent of people experience no stress during the holiday season. Yana German, life coach, body language expert and TV personality, created five tips to make the holiday season more enjoyable and relieve that unwanted stress.

1. Limit places you go: Holiday parties are fun and can be a great way to  have fun with your friends and co-workers. Holiday parties can also become very stressful if you try to go to every single one of them. “It’s not about trying to figure which party or friend is more important. It’s about having a clear intention of what you’d  like to experience at each one of those parties,” sais German. “Take a few minutes and try to visualize those parties: Do you want to have a wild night or do you prefer a calm dinner? Would you like to dress up or go to a more casual party? Would you like to go and meet your partner’s co-workers or would you rather have a dinner party at home with your close friends?”

2. Create your own traditions instead of following someone else’s: One of the biggest battles couples have during the holiday season is choosing whose parents they will celebrate with. “A lot of my clients struggle to navigate this tricky situation,” said German. “There is a lot of pressure to follow the old traditions and make everyone happy. “When I first moved to the U.S., my family and I were struggling to follow all the new traditions. The same thing happened when I got married. You have to create your own traditions instead of trying to copy someone else’s. Every family is different, everyone’s values are different, so you have to be able to do what works for you, and not for you neighbor or co-worker.”

3. Slow down: There are so many things happening during the holiday season – sending out holiday cards, decorating the Christmas tree and buying gifts, just to name a few. But how often do we actually sit down and enjoy our beautifully lit Christmas tree? How often do we slow down to have hot chocolate by the fireplace? “We are so busy trying to check off all of the things on our to-do lists that we forget to actually enjoy them,” said German. “Give yourself at least a 30-minute break to recharge. I love doing breathing exercises while looking outside the window at the horizon. It helps you become more connected and aware.”

4. Stop being perfect: Who doesn’t love checking out Pinterest for some great table decor ideas or dishes? “When we’re hosting a holiday get-together, we often feel the urge to satisfy everyone’s needs, whether it’s a dietary restriction or simply a taste preference. We become so tense making sure everyone is happy that we that we are faced with anxiety ourselves,” said German. “Take a minute and evaluate whether the perfect decorations are worth more than the time you would spend enjoying your friends and family.”

5. Share compliments with your loved ones: We spend so much time trying to find the perfect gifts for our family and friends, yet we still manage to get annoyed with them during the holidays. “You spend hours trying to find the perfect gift for your mom and it only takes a second for you to get mad at her for insisting to eat more of her pie,” said German. “Show your loved ones how grateful you are. Happiness is infectious and more much more important than the gifts.”