I absolutely love Christmas, but tend to get burnt out on the actual doing of all the Christmas things. Anyone else?? 🙂
Here are a few easy ways to practice self-care this holiday season so you can enjoy the season all the way through!
1. Stay hydrated. It’s easy to lose track of this basic need when our schedules are thrown off. Make sure you bring water with you everywhere.
2. Prioritize good sleep. I know it’s hard to do, but most of us have infinitely more patience, creativity, and flexibility when we get good rest. Control the things you can control by setting a schedule in advance, and making your sleeping arrangements as comfortable as possible while traveling. If you need to, make a to-do list before you hit the hay, and journal about anything bothering you. These will help your brain transition to sleep mode so racing thoughts don’t keep you up.
3. Eat some nutritious foods. It’s not about calories, or cheat days, or fitting in your holiday dress. It’s about how you feel. Sugar can really drain us, and rich foods can make us feel weighed down. Balancing sugar with protein, and rich foods with lighter ones, will help us stay alert so we have the energy for the non-stop holiday activities.
4. Keep things simple and fun. Don’t let the obligations sap all the fun out of the season. Find the pockets of time where you can really notice the beauty around you. Have a snowball fight. Buy a box of donuts and decorate them like wreaths with fun icing and sprinkles (no need to make homemade cookies!). Pile pillows on the floor and get all cozy to make watching a Christmas movie extra special. Play games. Make cocoa. Play Christmas music while you wrap presents, cook, or bake.
5. Listen to yourself. Especially when traveling, we can tend to neglect time for reflection, or anything resembling solitude. Check in with yourself at least once per day. How do you feel? Is there anything you need? Is there anything you want more or less of? Let’s be honest – you may be the only one listening to you! So listen well, and make sure to take a few moments to take care of you.
6. Build in margin. With the crowds and traffic this time of year, everything takes longer than we think it will, which can lead to frustration. Try to keep more time clear than you think you’ll need.
7. Get inspired. Pay attention to what makes you feel lit up inside, both online and in real life. Here’s the key, though: you don’t have to duplicate anything! Take that pressure off yourself. Look for the feeling behind it, and try to cultivate that feeling in simple ways.
