Last week my energies were swirling like crazy. I spent the whole week and weekend feeling all the feels- high highs and low lows. There were some amazing things that happened but there were also some really crummy moments and I just didn’t FEEL like myself. Ultimately, I was out of alignment and the root of that is simply this: I wasn’t taking care of myself.
No journaling. No reading. No positive self-talk. Not a lot of awesome nutrition decisions. Workouts yes, but for my body, not my soul.
But I’m so grateful because as I felt all the negative feelings on the spectrum – sadness, anger, loneliness, anxiety, self-belittlement – I recognized that I knew the remedy (because of what I’ve learned over the past four years of over-coming a deeply rooted self-hating time in my life).
And that remedy? Self-care. Legit, actually doing the things (not just thinking about them, not just wishing for them, not saying “I know I shoulddd” and then ignoring the prompts).
I USED TO not know. In the past I would have stayed in the swirl and continued to allow self-loathing to lead the way. I used to allow for self-sabotage to take over and would knock myself down time and time again.
As I worked through this over the weekend and got myself back on track, it occurred to me that THIS is exactly what most people feel like over the holiday season.
We feel SO happy, nostalgic, and joyful… but when we open the floodgates wide to receive all the fun, unless we know how to filter out the icky stuff, we can also feel pressure, stress, overwhelm, exhaustion, hungover, fearful, and less than.
Friends, I don’t want to be trying to spread Christmas cheer with any of the latter feelings taking up space inside me. What about you?
So, what do we do?!
Well, we all need have different specific needs that are tailored to our personalities and happiness, but generally, here is a list of things you can do to experience TRULY Happy Holidays!
1. Move your body. This doesn’t have to mean busting out an Iron Man. It simply means that you have to honor this sacred place that your soul resides in. So, get the blood pumping. Get some oxygen to your muscles. Feel yourself stretch and give yourself the opportunity to recognize how strong you actually are.
2. Eat well. Listen, I love me a tall glass of wine and chunk of chocolate just like anyone else… but I actually grow anxious, jittery, and pretty lethargic when those things make up the majority of my diet. It’s the holidays- partake in the festivities, treats, and bevies, yes. But not ALL the time. I encourage you to eat well MOST of the time so that those treats are just that- special indulgences that you ENJOY and don’t result in your kicking yourself in the butt for “overdoing it on the dessert… again!”
3. Reflect in Silence. I know many of you are laughing at me (Trust me, I get it, my sons were both up before 5 am today- which is the time I do my quiet journaling…) but you have to make time for it. We are surrounded by noise, busy-ness, and distractions all day long. Give yourself the grace of quietly spending some time alone. Read something uplifting. Spend sometime reflecting in a journal. Meditate. Take a bath. Seriously. Do this. I know you think you don’t have time- yes you do, you just have to make this a priority.
4. Make a list of the things that you LOVE to do and make those things a priority. Get specific about what you REALLY enjoy doing over the holiday season so that when other events or opportunities present themselves, you can check your list and decide if the new thing is worth sacrificing something on your LOVE list for!
5. Surround yourself with people who truly want to focus on gratitude, walking in their happiness, and being PRESENT for the holiday season. When you hang out with people that have the same priorities as you, it’s way easier (and more fun!) to stay on track!
I hope this list was helpful for you. Self-care is no joke, Love… you and I both know it, so now it’s time to implement it!
If all of this sounds spot on to you but you have no idea where to start, I got you, girl! I actually have a Truly Happy Holidays Support Group that I am running, through an exclusive app for your phone, for the rest of the year! Each day we are going to focus on taking care of our bodies, hearts, minds, and spirits. We are going to talk wellness, budgeting, healthy recipes, wine and spirits, festivities, how to manage stress, joy, and GRATITUDE. If you are interested in being a part of this group, access the event page here and then click GOING! I’ll send you a note via Facebook and we’ll get you plugged into my FAVORITE online support group of the year… the Truly Happy Holidays group!
Choose you, , choose you so you can keep your energy up and engaged and allow for everyone to bask in your joyful presence! And if you need help… just ask for it. You are so loved.
I honor you!
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