It’s the most wonderful time of year. Or not. Either way the holiday’s can carry with them a lot of extra emotion and energy. It can be easy to deal with it with by overdoing, overeating, over drinking, and just numbing ourselves. But, we don’t have to do that. There are better ways to deal with all the extra of the holidays so that we can all enjoy our family and friends more.
First, we have to take care of ourselves. You deserve rest and there are no rewards for doing too much. Take the time you need to recharge. Nap, read a book, exercise, take a bath, whatever rest looks like for you, build it in to every day.
Eat nourishing foods whenever you can so that you won’t be tempted to just eat cookies, or whatever is around. Think of feeding yourself as an act of love. And be present while you eat. Think about the food and where it came from, how it was prepared, and be grateful. This can become a beautiful way to eat that you can practice all year. I love my relationship to food now.
Being intentional with the little things really affects the bigger picture. Nobody has ever asked me to overwork myself, I do that to myself. Being kind to myself is really what my family wants from me. They love me and they want me to take care of myself.
Lastly, create firm boundaries and keep them. You are allowed to say no and you don’t have to have a reason. Don’t overwhelm yourself with obligations. Make sure your yes means yes and your no means no. You teach people how to treat you, so teach them that you love yourself and treat yourself with respect just like you love them and are respectful of others. These sound simple, but sometimes are the hardest rules to follow.
You deserve to have a nice holiday Season. Wishing you every good thing.
Love, Erin