The holidays can be a stressful time, but not for Shay Mitchell. The mom-of-two, 36, is keeping everything in perspective during the holiday season. HollywoodLife spoke exclusively with Shay about how her outlook on the holidays has changed since becoming a mom to Atlas, 4, and Rome, 1.
“I think there are ways to make your life more convenient,” the actress said. “I think after having kids I’m really aware of the energy that I bring in and that other people do. I don’t want my kids to ever feel that unnecessary stress because, at the end of the day, what are you really stressed about?”
She added, “Keep it moving. I think that’s sort of the attitude that I’ve honestly had ever since I had her [Atlas]. I think we need to really focus on being grateful and enjoying and being present with family and friends this holiday season and less about everything being perfect.”
As the holiday season unfolds, the You star noted that she wants her young kids to “have happy memories of not seeing me stressed out and knowing what it’s really about. It’s being around people that we love and eating great food and sharing gifts with those you love. I want them to just have happy memories like I did.”
The entrepreneur is all about being present in the moment. When it comes to workouts, especially during the holidays, Shay revealed that she doesn’t “have any sort of routine. I do think you have to enjoy yourself. I say everything in moderation truly. That’s just how I live my life.”
She continued, “You’ll never see me stressing over something that I ate ever. I just don’t believe in it. I think walking it off is always great. I encourage walking after eating, especially during the holidays. It’s also great because you can go with a family member or a friend and you can talk and hang out that way. You’re not on your phones and I love that, especially because my parents live in Canada. We’re going there for the holiday season, and it’s something that I am looking forward to. You eat a big meal, you sit for a minute, and then you go out and you walk it off and you just feel so much better. You get fresh air. There are just so many things that you’re crossing off by doing that after eating.”
The Pretty Little Liars alum has teamed up with DoorDash for their annual Deck to Doorstep holiday savings event. In our exclusive interview, Shay revealed she’s been “less stressed in my life than ever before.” The Deck the Doorstep event, which runs from December 1 to December 12, includes limited-time discounts, daily deals, and exclusive DashPass offers from local and nationwide favorites.
“I really made a promise to myself that I was going to be ahead of it this year,” Shay said about holiday shopping. “I truly have the perfect reason to log on for the next 12 days and see what the new daily deal is, and what sale I can get, because we all love a sale. I’ll be done by the 13th and call it a day. That’s my goal. We all know the holidays can be stressful, but they don’t have to be. That’s really the message I’m trying to get out there.”