As the holiday season sets in, anxiety tends to rise alongside everything that is expected at this time. Meetings galore, wrapping up the year-end of work, holiday parties, family obligations, gift buying… and on top of all that, we are still in a pandemic with change continuing to wreak havoc in our lives. How do we get through all these stressors that create holiday anxiety, with calm and ease? We love to lean on Brené Brown’s words of wisdom.

No matter if and/or how you celebrate, this season can run your holiday anxiety into high gear. Good thing we’ve got Brené Brown to give us some holiday anxiety relief to keep us calm, mindful, and grateful! Today, we’ve compiled our top five Brown quotes for your peace of mind. Feel free to write them down in your journal, keep them handy in your notes app, or just reference them right here if you’re in need of a reminder when the holidays get stressful. 

5 Brené Brown quotes for your Holiday Anxiety Relief:

#1. “Worthy Now. Not if. Not when. We are worthy of love and belonging now. Right this minute. As is.”
(The Gifts of Imperfection)

This quote puts me at ease when it seems like there aren’t enough hours in the day, but I also feel like I’m not doing enough. It reminds me to center my attention on my own strengths and superpowers, as opposed to narrowing in on what I may lack. Personally, it’s one of my favorite leadership mantras and also such a big part of our Leadology programming. 

#2. “Twinkle lights are the perfect metaphor for joy. Joy is not a constant. It comes to us in moments—often ordinary moments. Sometimes we miss out on the bursts of joy because we’re too busy chasing down extraordinary moments. Other times we’re so afraid of the dark that we don’t dare let ourselves enjoy the light. A joyful life is not a floodlight of joy. That would eventually become unbearable. I believe a joyful life is made up of joyful moments gracefully strung together by trust, gratitude, inspiration, and faith.”
(The Gifts of Imperfection)

Brené always has the most beautiful ways of reminding us to stop and smell the roses. She also reinforces the fact that, like any other time of year, there are bound to be natural highs and lows to the holiday season. Take the lows in stride, but slow down and be mindful of every minute of joy it brings.

#3. “Compassionate people are boundaried people.”
(The Gifts of Imperfection)

As leaders, managers, and people, setting and enforcing boundaries is one of the most compassionate things we can do. Compassionate individuals know how to maintain and honor their own boundaries by getting clear on “what’s okay and what’s not okay” and voicing those boundaries to create a foundation for trust with everyone around them.

#4. “Gratitude is an emotion that reflects our deep appreciation for what we value, what brings meaning to our lives, and what makes us feel connected to ourselves and others”
(Atlas of the Heart)

This little excerpt is pulled from Brené’s new book, and we’re obsessed with its message. It reminds us that gratitude in and out of the workplace is essential, especially when we need it to counter the stress and uncertainty we’re faced with almost every single day. 

#5. “We need to dispel the myth that empathy is walking in someone else’s shoes. Rather than walking in your shoes, I need to learn how to listen to the story you tell about what it’s like in your shoes and believe you even when it doesn’t match my experience.”
(Atlas of the Heart)

Here, Brené reminds us that compassion exists in many different forms, and the more we can be aware of its various manifestations, the better leaders and people we can be. 

I hope that these little snippets of Brené wisdom will calm some of your holiday anxiety. Schedule your calendar to take time out to remember what you have accomplished this year instead of focusing on what you have yet to do. Give yourself some breathing room, either by yourself to get grounded, or with others who lift you up. When we practice both gratitude and self-love, and focus on those precious moments of joy, the holiday season will seem that much brighter.

Follow us over on Instagram for a dose of inspiration you can bring with you into your workplace while growing into a better leader.