While the holiday period can be an exciting and joyous time, for a lot of people it can also be one of high stress and overwhelm which often leads to poor health choices.
The holidays can be stressful for a lot of reasons – you’re out of your normal routine (read: your daily meditation suddenly becomes non-existent), there are all kinds of societal expectations on how much fun you should be having and how perfect your gifts should be, you’re likely spending a lot of time with family which can bring up all sorts of disagreements, frustration and emotional wounds, plus, it’s an expensive time of year adding another strain when you’re already near breaking point.
If you can relate to the above situations then firstly, I’m sorry that this time of year is so stressful for you and I know you’re doing the best you can. Secondly, I’d love for you to get to a point where, despite the potential triggers that are out of your control, this can become a time when you can truly relax, be present, and enjoy this well-earned break.
Let’s unpack this a bit more. I know you’re so busy but if we want to get ahead of this then I need you to make the time and find 15 minutes to sit with yourself, a pen, and paper this week – today, even! Here’s what you’re going to do when you’re there:
- Get super clear on what you want your holidays to look like. Want to use the break to develop a new routine? Cool, write it down in detail. Want to meditate daily? Awesome, add it to the list. Want to do the holidays on your terms and not be bullied by that family member into making choices you’d rather not? Amazing, Write! It! Down! The thing is, no matter what your goals are, unless you know specifically what they look like then you’re just blindly hoping for the best, rather than making conscious decisions towards that goal.
- Make a plan. Now that you know what it is you want, we need to work out the how. How much time and effort will your goal require? When are you going to schedule it? Work out the nitty-gritty now, so that it requires a lot less thinking later. Less thinking = more doing.
- Let people know. Chances are that if you’re spending time with other people during your holidays then there will be a time when your goal will be challenged as it may not align with what other people expect of you based on their past experience. One of the best ways to combat this is to approach it head-on. Making a big change this year? Let your family know in advance! Give the people you’ll be spending time with a chance to adjust their expectations of you, rather than them getting caught off guard and perhaps not reacting with the most tact. Awkwardness averted!
- You are your priority. At the end of the day, if you are feeling so overwhelmed by the thought of the upcoming festivities you have to ask yourself, why? If the thought of spending that much time with certain people is too much for you, ask yourself if it is necessary to see them. Removing toxic people from your life can be scary but it doesn’t make you a bad person – even if that toxic person is related to you. If you cannot find 30 minutes a day to do something for yourself maybe consider reassessing all of your other musts and whether they are, truly, that important. You can’t be your best self for others if you’re not your best self for yourself first.
Holidays used to send me into a spiral but since I learned to create boundaries and prioritise my own needs, as well as the needs other others, they've become that magical, relaxing time again.
If I can, you can.