5 Holiday Survival Tips: Be REAL!
1. Physical - Now is NOT the time to start an ambitious new diet or physical activity regimen. After all, you want to SUCCEED, right? Instead, aim to maintain during this schedule-out-the-window, calorie-and-fat-laden time of year. Make a commitment to yourself to grab opportunities for small activity breaks. Even a few 10-minute walks sprinkled between Holiday commitments can add up! As for the abundance of tempting treats (appetizers, main course, desserts!!) you may encounter, my advice is the same any time of year: “Be Strategic and Choose with Intention!” This does NOT mean skipping meals so you can have 3 desserts – it means ensuring you are still getting a variety of healthy foods (to fuel your body!) and THEN choosing the treats which you enjoy MOST, and then REALLY enjoying them! I call these choices “worthy calories”.
2. Relational - We need to realize that people are…well…people. So the same personalities, quirks, and challenges that exist the rest of the year are still likely there over the Holidays. In fact, they may be magnified. Prepare yourself for that. That strange uncle is still going to be strange, and that sibbling who likes to ‘push your buttons’ probably won’t change just because it’s the Holidays. And we tend to be in particularly close quarters this time of year, with family get-togethers, parties, etc. What can you do? Be REAL: manage your own expectations of the interactions, manage your contributions to them, and make space. Whether you’re the host or the guest, it is perfectly acceptable to take a break now and then, have a breather, and then rejoin the group. Chances are you’re not the only one who could use a bit of space, and all will benefit from it.
3. Emotional - When we think of the Holidays, we tend to think of the more joyous aspects of the season – and that’s great! However, it is wise to remember that this is an emotionally-charged time of year and that, for some, it can be very difficult. There are people around us who may be particularly vulnerable this time of year – perhaps they have no one to celebrate with, they may be grieving the loss of a loved one in the past year, they may be suffering financially and find the extra demands on their budget very stressful. In the spirit of the season, reaching out to these people can be rewarding for both the giver and the receiver. And even for those who are celebrating the joy of the season, crammed schedules, heightened expectations, compromised nutrition, etc. can still produce stress. Being aware of this, and paying attention to your own emotional wellness can help you move through the Holidays with greater ease.
4. Financial - It is so easy to get caught up in the frenzy of the season and get sucked into the vortex of ‘shop-til-you-drop’! But what are the implications of this? There are many but let’s just look at a few: (a) you’re exhausted from all the running around and waiting through line-ups, (b) the more ‘stuff’ that is brought into your home, the more there is to tidy, organize, dust, fix, etc. (unless you also purge older items to create space for the new ones), (c) you have likely spent more than you could really afford by using credit. In short, this simply defers the stress to the new year, when the bills become due. What’s the recommended strategy? Again, be REAL: focus on quality over quantity, spend within your means, and invest in the time spent together instead of trinkets and toys.
5. Everything in Moderation! – To ‘wrap up’ these tips on “Whole-Life Wellness”, the overall strategy is simple: Everything in Moderation:
~ Gifts
~ Food/Drink
~ Inactivity/activity
~ Time commitments
The more “REAL” we can be during the Holidays, the more we set ourselves – and our families – up for success in the New Year!
Wishing you and yours a Holiday Season of Health, Happiness, and Gratitude, and a New Year filled with “Whole-Life” Abundance!
~ Gail
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