by guest blogger Margaret Floyd, author of Eat Naked

If you’re committed to healthy living, this time of year can be quite a predicament. The holiday parties, the big over-stuffing dinners, the endless temptations of sweet treats and general excess. How to navigate through this minefield of dietary “don’t” without being a total killjoy?

Well, my approach to this situation might surprise you a little. I’m not going to give you a list of ways to make sure you don’t overeat at Thanksgiving dinner (that’s part of the experience, for goodness sakes!) or a list of foods to say “yes” or “no” to at the holiday party buffet table. I don’t believe in this approach for three reasons:

It’s hard to look forward to our favorite foods when we’re taught to feel fearful, guilty and ashamed for eating — and actually enjoying it.

I think the key to enjoying food – without feeling guilty – is to shift our perspective: from seeing food as enemy #1, 2 and 3, as a sin and something not “worth the calories” (how many times have you said that?) to viewing it with awe, appreciation and curiosity.

Mindfulness gives us the opportunity to do all three.

In True Belonging: Mindful Practices to Help You Overcome Loneliness, Connect with Others & Cultivate Happiness, Jeffrey Brantley, M.D, and Wendy Millstine, NC, also offer great ideas on eating mindfully. First, before you even begin your meal, they suggest taking a few slow breaths.

They also note the importance of thinking about the origins of our food, and how incredibly connected we are to so many people through our meal.

They write:

Read the rest of "The Best Way To Enjoy Your Food This Holiday Season" on Psych Central

by guest blogger Ronald Alexander, Ph.D., author of Wise Mind, Open Mind

I think everyone from young to old is aware that Valentine's Day is Feb. 14. But did you know that starting Feb. 13 it is also Random Acts of Kindness Week? Now this seems appropriate, since Valentine's Day is supposedly based on the martyred saints who, around 200 A.D., performed marriages for soldiers ordered by the Roman Emperor to remain single. Their acts weren't necessarily random, but they were based on kindness and service.

Today, service -- or Seva, as we say in Sanskrit -- is essential for one's transformation, personal growth and tapping into their creativity. At every step of the way in your journey, you need to be sharing in some shape or form, whether it's to somebody in need of comfort or financial help. I think it's important to see that we are all in this together; it's not about acquiring more stuff or taking care of what you have. It's about actively -- in a social, political or spiritual way -- contributing to the whole thing.

by blogger Lara Honos-Webb, Ph.D., author of The Gift of ADHD.

1. Spend my time building on my strengths rather than patching up my weaknesses.
2. Ask myself every day "What do I need?" and then take a step to meet that need.
3. Make myself right instead of wrong.

by Elisha Goldstein Ph.D., co-author of A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Workbook

As family and friends begin to gather during the holidays, at one point or another we may have to face either ourselves or a loved one with addiction. There are really very few people who are not touched by addiction in one way or another. Addiction comes in the form of alcohol, drugs, sex, shopping, eating, sugar, and other compulsive behaviors that are an avoidance strategy and eventually cause distress.

When caught up in the cycle of addictive behavior, there is an inability to accept whatever is being felt in the present moment and the mind is constantly wandering onto the next ‘fix.’ So it’s safe to conclude that addiction often builds a wall of disconnection and makes it difficult to actually be present for the holidays.

by Suzanne B. Phillips, Psy.D., ABPP, author of Healing Together

I was recently in a nail salon when a woman walked in and was asked by those working there what she would like to have done. Her answer was immediate – “I don’t care. I am here to escape.”

Clearly many of us were there for the same reason. The fact is that both men and women yearn for a little escape from the many demands of the season. It is not so much that they don’t want to participate in aspects of the Holidays – be they family gatherings, religious events, gift giving or New Year’s celebrations – they just need a breather. They need some personal escapes to balance out the holiday expectations, pace and demands with self-care.

The definition of escape is to break free from what confines. What if we break free at certain times throughout the Holidays to do those things that once made us feel good?

All of us at New Harbinger Publications wish you a Happy Thanksgiving!

by Susan Albers, Psy.D., author of 50 Ways to Soothe Yourself Without Food

Already fretting about how many calories are in pecan pie? Anxious about weight gain this holiday season? If you struggle with post-Thanksgiving food guilt, let gratitude be your guide this year. It sounds deceptively simple, but it can be a difficult mindset to adopt if you worry about what you eat. Enter the day with a grateful spirit to help you end the holiday without food guilt.

Stop Thanksguilting and start Thanksgiving. Here are five tips:

by guest blogger Pavel Somov, Ph.D., author of Eating the Moment

The act of giving thanks is more than just a gesture of gratitude. It is a unique teaching moment. Indeed, by expressing appreciation for this or that we teach the world about what matters to us, about what is existentially significant for us. With this in mind, let me ask you this: what contributions to your well-being will you be reinforcing this year with your gratitude? Will you be showing gratitude for financial, material, logistical help you have received this year or will you be emphasizing the importance of the contributions of support, friendship and companionship?

by guest blogger Richard Blonna, Ed.D., author of Stress Less, Live More

Because our values are so important to us, stress commonly occurs when our values collide with each other.

This often happens over the holidays when family, friends, and other loved ones come together and visit. Many people value family yet struggle with family-related values conflicts that crop up over the holidays. For example, you might value small intimate dinners with just a few family members but your visiting parents want to bring the whole family together at your house. You might value sharing simple, meaningful yet inexpensive gifts but your siblings like to buy expensive, trendy gifts for you and your children. You value classical music and good conversation but your uncle wants to put the football game on and shut off the music.

To cope with holiday stress, try the following tips: