The holidays are here and it is the most wonderful time of the year… or is it? If you’re like me, you’re torn between loving all the things and hating all the stress. So many of us arrive at New Year’s Day feeling absolutely exhausted and depleted.
Here are 5 Tips to help you stay sane, grounded, and dare I say it, rested and at peace, all the way to January 1.
1. Rest.
I know it sounds simple, but I really do mean it. All the extra parties and gatherings tempt us to stay up past our bedtimes and consume all the yummy things. I love wine and will enjoy it all the way through the holidays, but the key is to focus on the long game vs. the moment you are in. Do you have a long line of parties to attend over the next 8 weeks? Go to all the ones you want but try having one or two glasses of wine instead of the whole bottle. You can enjoy your time with friends and go home to have a great night’s sleep.
2. Say No
If you don’t want to go to your mom’s house for Christmas Eve, YOU DON’T HAVE TO. This applies to your boss’ house for dinner too, or anything else you think you have to do but don’t want to. I know it feels strange to set a boundary, but we are strong courageous women who do things that feel odd to maintain our sanity and joy all the way to January 1. Pro tip… if anyone is triggered by your choices that is THEIR PROBLEM, not yours. I know, another uncomfortable thought, but I promise the more you practice staying connected to yourself and your needs the easier it gets.
3. Plan
Sit down now and make a calendar for November and December. Make it cute and fun or just make a list on your notes page of your phone. All the kids’ performances, class parties, office parties, end of year retreats… all of it. Have everything in one place. Once you have all this planned out, create blocks of time for you. If you weigh the pros and cons of “saying yes” and decide to go to that office party, then block out some time the next day to restore your energy. This can be a nap, manicure, shopping trip or a Starbucks on the way to work. Just plan treats for yourself whenever you KNOW you will need it.
4. Say Yes
Often we feel we cannot say yes to the things we actually want to do. Do you want a girls weekend? Do you want to stay at home in PJs on your holiday instead of going to your inlaws? Do you want to order in instead of cooking all the things? SAY YES. Say yes to things you want and that bring you joy. This will energize you and you’ll be so much more fun and memorable to be around. And you won’t arrive in January feeling like you’ve been hit by a truck.
5. Routine
It is so easy to throw out the workouts and healthy food and go all in on full blown indulgence 24/7. I am all about really enjoying the holiday food, extra parties and time with friends, but in order to keep your body centered and feeling good, we have to balance those choices with our normal routine. Stick to what you know works for your body most days, and really enjoy the treats on the days when something special is planned. Your body will thank you in the form of energy all season long.
Finally, remember that you are human and not a robot. You will have good days and bad days. You will be triggered and need to self sooth. Random things will pop up that were not in the plan. All this is ok. Life is messy. This season is messy and complicated for many of us. Take each day one at a time and enjoy as many moments as you can. January 1 will be here soon and it will be an exciting time to start a fresh new year with all our inspiring visions and goals.
I created a Holiday Self Care challenge to help us stay on track and discover lots of tools that we can use to navigate the next few weeks. Join us!
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