And just like that, it’s almost the end of 2022!
If you are anything like me, you woke up on December 7th and wondered…where did November go? not ready for the rush of December and scrolling on insta perfect decorated houses, people showing their Christmas outfit picks (on the 7th!!!?), all the advent ideas for the kids, and the list goes on and on…
The first instinctive reaction: freak out and feel like a failure! the second is try to crawl back into bed and wake up on January 2nd. After you let all that go and take some good breaths (see the article on breath!) you come back to your senses and realize that you have the power to shape how this next month will be. You do not need to do what everyone else is doing, you can (and should) pick and choose where to spend your time.
This is the season to be with family and friends and that is vital to your wellness, so make the most of this time and do not feel guilty. It is all about damage control, not perfection. Below are some helpful tips to live this month fully and aligned.
Some tips to thrive during the Holiday season:
-Say no: you have the power to say “no” - I know, shocker! - to things that will take more energy than you can spare. If you can’t be at every school, work, friends, club or whatever celebration just say no. Preserve your energy.
-Prioritize sleep: chances are you will be going out more than usual, do not let that sneak on you. Aim for 7-8 hours everyday. Remember that the body heals and recovers then!
-Treat these days like any other: focus on having at least 2 nutrient dense meals so if you have that third that is a little indulgent you know that at least you covered your nutritional needs. Do not fast because you have a dinner planned. You will be starved by the time of the meal and overeat.
-Drink plenty of water throughout the day
-Enjoy the candies and cookies but be mindful: savor every bite of these lovely foods and really take time before going for seconds…ask yourself: do I really need it? Chances are, you don’t!
-Keep your alcohol intake at bay: it is so easy to fall on a downward spiral here…there is champagne and wine even in the toy store these days…try to keep it to one drink a day (or less if possible!) and make sure you drink lots of water.
-Keep your movement up: if you are too busy or traveling, going to the gym might get hard but have a 10 minutes bodyweight session in (FitOn app is great for that and it is free!) and do not underestimate the power of walking. Try to walk after meals, or any time you can! Think movement snacks!
-Practice gratitude: These are times when a lot of emotions can surface. Be graceful and practice empathy with the people around you, it will help you balance your actions (and not reactions) and help see what you can be grateful for.
-Resolutions: if you like this practice, think if they really work for you or just fuel your anxiety. Reflect: why are you making them? think about replacing them by smaller achievable goals that are easy to measure, give you a sense of achievement and keeps you focused vs resolutions that are usually unattainable and feed frustration and a sense of failure.
Have a lovely Holiday Season!
Thanks for being with us this year, we can’t wait for what 2023 will look like. Stay tuned!