Preparing for the Holidays

And I don't mean cleaning the house in a fury and baking up a storm ;)

Well, unless that's your form of self care!!! We say it every year, but how did it happen so fast?! Here we are already upon the holiday season, with the first of the big guys this week- Thanksgiving. I would like to make sure I am still grateful come Thanksgiving for all the things I have to be grateful for. So my sanity needs to be top of the list to be feeling that way come Thursday. So I'm thinking about what kind of self care I need to do for myself in order to bring the best version of me this holiday season. I want to bring the best of me to everyone around me, and I'm not leaving myself out of that equation either. I'm not going to give from an empty cup. So today I'm going to share what I'm doing in preparation for the holidays to be the best me.

Routine/exercise/meditation- one of the biggest things that can happen around the holidays is a total shift in routine. Many of us go from strong daily routines/rituals to fully abandoning and going whatever direction we need to. There are just so many more things to accomplish this time of year, so it makes sense that we abandon what we feel is the easiest thing to cut. Unfortunately it makes more of a negative impact than I think we may realize in the moment. There are year end commitments and goals to reach for work, holiday shopping, decorating, holiday parties, the list goes on and onnnnnn. So it would be really easy to abandon things like our workout routines, meditation practice, time spent alone to recharge, etc. These are top on my list to continue to infuse in my every day life. It may look a little different. Maybe the workouts are shorter, maybe they're a little less frequent than normal, maybe it’s more about walking than a full workout. But I know that if I stop and prioritize other things, I will not feel my best self. I also won't have the same energy and clarity that I have when I do workout. Same goes for meditation, daily walks with the dogs, etc. Anything that really fills me up and allows me to show up best, I'm going to try my best to maintain as part of my day to day this holiday season. But I'm also going to cut myself some slack. I won't beat myself up for things tapering down a bit when they really need to. Or if I'm just really feeling burnt out and not in the way where I'll feel better if I do those things, I'll allow myself the grace to make that choice and take a breather. After all, these routines should stay because we want them to and they make us feel better, not because we feel like we have to force ourselves to do them/add another thing to our never ending list.

Diet- this one is always so hard. And with a sweet tooth?! I mean… there's temptation everywhere this time of year. And I am definitely not one to deprive myself. But I am also going to try to keep some of my more typical day-to-day meals in play that support how I feel. I don't need to change every single meal to be holiday style I suppose LOL. It's perfectly reasonable to continue eating oatmeal for breakfast, knowing that there's a really good chance there's some sort of dessert that's happening later. It's all about balance. And I don't say this as if there's anything wrong with indulging. I’m just reminding myself that I want to make sure I feel my best right now, and that won’t be the case if I just switch to holiday eating mode 24/7.  

Drinking- another tough one. It's darker earlier, it's getting cold… so it seems only logical that the wine should be pouring more frequently. But it isn't what serves me. There are certainly going to be more occasions to drink over the holidays, so it's about trying to manage the time I can really do without. I've noticed it's something for me where it can easily just become a ritual more than anything. One night turns into "oh now the bottle is already open," you know how it goes. I also really really need to remind myself to hydrate more. I've never been great about drinking a ton of water, but I do try. And during the winter we really need it, if nothing else than for our dry skin lol.

Infusing Joy- this is another big one. I want to make sure this holiday season is filled with joy. So I’m asking myself- what are the things that I really enjoy for the holidays? I’m going to make a list, and then literally mark on a calendar when I’m going to do them. I’m going to make sure that the things that are important to me, and that give me joy, are part of my plan this season. I don't want to run out of "time" doing all the other things. This season will go by in a second, and I don't want to miss out on all the things that make the holidays special. For me that looks like: decorating the house, picking out a tree, a roster of holiday movies (Christmas with the Kranks is not talked about nearly enough!), baking some vegan holiday treats, going to restaurants where I love their holiday decor (same goes for little boutiques), getting allll the Starbucks holiday drinks, and the list goes on :)

Socialization- if you're an extravert, you may love all the extra social time that comes with the holidays- which I love for you!!! As an introverted extrovert, who's also highly sensitive, I find it a little overwhelming. So for me, it's about striking a balance. One of the biggest things for me is ensuring I have plenty of downtime/alone time (the dogs don't count, obviously). So I try to not overbook myself, and to make sure I have the appropriate downtime in between my work/social activities that involve lots of people-ing. I also try to be mindful of planning my social calendar around what days/times of day are least draining for me. For example- and I have no idea if anyone else is like this- I find socializing at night to be way more taxing on me. Part of it is probably the disruption to my bed time, the fact that alcohol is likely involved, etc. So for me a non negotiable is not booking back to back night time outings. Daytime, no biggie. The point is, it's important to recognize what drains your battery and to work around it (same goes for the people who drain you). When it comes to seeing family or friends out of town, I know that I'd rather do a day trip than an overnight. So I work around that where I can.

Boundaries- saved the best for last ;) The hardest people to set boundaries with are your closest family and friends. You have old routines and ways of being with them that go wayyyy back. So they'll be the hardest people to change how you are with. But if something isn't working for you, you have permission to change course and set a boundary. What that may look like: being strong willed in your communication about when you'll be going to something, and when you won't. Not being swayed by the guilt that will inevitably come. Not going somewhere longer than you want to, and protecting your time/space/peace as needed. Leaving the room for a little breather- maybe it's outside for a quick walk or just escaping to the bathroom for a few. Maybe it's communicating that you don't want the random crap your family gifts you that's just a waste and not what you really want anyway. Or it's not feeling bad when you get rid of it after they leave. It's not eating something you really don't like, because you're worried you'll make someone feel bad. It's not keeping traditions that just don't feel good anymore. Setting boundaries is an act of self care. It’s not selfish. And not having boundaries is the quickest way to burn out this holiday season.

The holidays are so fully loaded. It's supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year, but even that feels like a lot of pressure! And for some, the holidays are tough. No matter where you fall on the spectrum, I am wishing you the most peaceful and joy filled holiday season possible. Whatever that looks like for you <3

Xo