Self-Care During the Holiday Season
Self-care tips for the holidays
As we are well aware of, the holiday season can be a happy and joyful time, but it can definitely be a stressful and challenging time. Schedules can be chaotic. We often have many places to be and we often feel pulled in many directions.
It can also be an emotional time for many. For instance, it can bring up memories of those we have lost, bringing grief to the surface. Click for tips on dealing with grief during the holidays. It can also be a reminder of past difficult or traumatic events.
For me, I am always ambivalent about the holidays. I want to fully enjoy them, but the season also creates anxiety for many reasons. I have to work hard at doing what I need to do to make them as enjoyable as possible. A large piece of that is making sure I engage in self-care.
Focusing on mental and physical health
Self-care during the holidays is important for all of us. It is essential we are mindful of our mental and physical health. There are particular ways in which we can do this. Speaking of being mindful, practicing mindfulness on a regular basis can bring feelings of peace and satisfaction.
What does it mean to be mindful?
When we are mindful, we are in a state of nonjudgmental awareness of what’s happening in the present moment. Anything from the past or future is mentally “pushed out.”
Set realistic expectations to avoid over extending
Make sure you don’t extend yourself mentally or physically. Don’t schedule more than you can handle. Prioritize your events or tasks. It may not be feasible to attend every holiday party you’ve been invited to. Or, allow yourself to cancel if need be. Take caution when volunteering to make those cookies for church, your child’s school, or holiday party. Be realistic as to how much time you really have to devote to those activities without becoming too overwhelmed. You will enjoy the season much more if you don’t over extend. You can say “no.” However, you are allowed to extend your waistline a bit with all of those holiday goodies .
Self care is also focusing on the basics
Make sure you are getting enough rest. Spend within your means. Eat nutritionally (as I also just gave you permission to partake in those holiday goodies ). Get exercise. Take a bubble bath. Laugh. Make tasks enjoyable. For instance, make cooking and baking a family event. Enlist assistance from others (you are not weak by doing that). Remember what the holidays are about and focus on making time and memories with your loved ones. Talk with others about how they are coping. And, if it would help to talk with a professional, do that.
The holidays, although busy and hectic, can also be a time of joy, love, and giving as long as we allow ourselves! For that matter, the holiday feeling never has to disappear….
“Christmas is never over, unless you want it to be… Christmas is a state of mind.” Lauren Myracle
About Two Roads Wellness Clinic
At Two Roads Wellness Clinic, we want to help you find the path that makes a difference in your life. We’re an integrative health clinic offering a vast array of services including, mental health treatments such as EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing), expressive arts therapy, family therapy, medication management, primary care, integrative nutritional support including genetic nutritional counseling, life coaching, massage therapy, physical therapy, infrared sauna services, community education and outreach, and more.
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