Sounds selfish, doesn’t it? But… if you really want to enjoy the holidays, make them about YOU!
If you’re like more than 60% of people in one study, you feel anxious and overwhelmed at this time of year. There’s the likelihood that you overextend and over promise and just over and over and over…
Sure it’s an exciting time and there’s a tendency to put yourself aside to accommodate others. But when you sideline your own self-care, there’s a great probability that you will experience illness, depression, anxiety, and even substance abuse.
Here are five implementable tips to more fully enjoy the holiday season:
- Be more mindful. Anxiety interferes with joyfulness. Take the time to enjoy the season. Let the music, decorations, and get-togethers bring you comfort and joy rather than pressure and dread. Remember what you love ❤️about the holidays.
- Choose wisely. There are many opportunities to say, “yes” to party and event invitations. When you fill your calendar with an overload of commitments, you increase your stress levels, too.
- Ask for help. Baking, decorating, gift purchasing and wrapping, shopping, decision making, and more takes a toll on the mind and soul. Share the holiday preparation with loved ones who are willing to help if they are asked. That’s the secret… ask for help!
- Make appointments for you. When you find yourself wishing for some “me time,” that’s a sign that you need to take time to care for yourself. If you don’t make time to self-nurture, you’ll become resentful. And that’s not fun for you or anyone else around you. Whether it’s a massage, a nap, a hike, a walk, or a movie, do it… just do it!
- Know your limits. The holiday season provides the temptation to engage in activities that will bring pleasure to families and friends, and push your commitments into overdrive and overextension. You want to make everything wonder-full for everyone else and tend to forget about the time investment. Sign up for what you know you can do without piling on too much to do.
“The Joy of brightening other lives, bearing each other’s burdens, easing each other’s loads and supplanting empty hearts and lives with generous gifts becomes for us the magic of the Holidays.” W. C.Jones
I wish you and your loves ones bright, beautiful and magical Holidays.
