The Importance of Self-Care in This Holiday Season
A Guide to Prioritizing Your Well-being
The holiday season is upon us and while this is joyous for most, with a lot of festivities it often comes with a lot of activities and responsibilities. As we become so preoccupied with taking care of others we normally forget about ourselves and this can lead to burnout, stress and tempers flaring in a period where things should be merry. Taking care of ourselves mentally and physically is not new but especially in this season it becomes crucial. There have been so many years in the past where self care during this time of year hasn’t been a priority because my focus was to get things ready and perfect. However, this year as we get ready for the many festivities I am making it a point to prioritise my well-being and I hope you do too. So, here is a short guide on some of the ways I intend to take care of myself during this season.
Setting Realistic Expectations
We tend to overextend ourselves during this period trying to cram so many things into a short amount of time or I do anyways. Saying yes and almost burning out in the hopes of getting it all done, this year one of my biggest practices is setting realistic expectations. Recognising that I can't do it all, and that's perfectly okay. So I am setting achievable goals for myself, whether it's in terms of decorating, cooking, or attending events and then clearly communicating these so as to manage expectations with others.
Putting the Me in "Me Time" Regularly
It need not be a full day or weekend but I plan to take short periods to BREATHE, yes even if it’s just stepping outside for half an hour or taking a few hours to enjoy a drink at a cafe or whether it's a quiet evening with a book, a walk in nature, or a cozy night in, you get the gist, I am taking time to nurture me giving myself "me time" to recharge your batteries. I know that this intentional break will allow me to reduce the pressure and maintain a healthy balance.
Keeping My Healthy Habits
Yes as a baker I love to make an assortment of treats over the holiday season and as we also get to host and attend a lot of Christmas lunches before the actual celebrations, I am making it a conscious decision to indulge mindfully. Combining moderate and mindful eating with exercising and enough sleep.
Saying No Without Guilt
The season brings a lot of socialising and being a social butterfly it can sometimes be difficult to say no to them even if I don’t have the capacity. However, this year I am practicing saying no and not feeling guilty to the ones I don’t have the capacity for. I am politely declining invitations that will require a copious amount of energy and time. If I am having an inner dialogue about an ask and trying to find a reason for being there, I have resolved to declining instead. I am paying more attention to my limits and listening more to my intuition in these cases.
Perfection is Overrated
As the years pass I have become more at home with embracing imperfections and the detours during this season. I spend months preparing for christmas gifting and baking and sometimes it can be a bit too disappointing when a baked good doesn’t look as I hoped. It tastes good but doesn’t look s I expected and that get’s to me. in previous years, it happened to be that I was the only one very concerned about this as people just enjoyed the treats and appreciated them. This year perfection is not my goal rather enjoying the time and appreciation from loved ones is what I am concentrating on. So, if the decorations, and meals are not picture perfect I will still be very grateful for moments of joy, gratitude, and togetherness, that my effort brings.
Not Going into Hibernation
Even though self-care mostly involves having time for yourself I also love to keep in touch with loved ones during this time. Rather than cutting everyone off or declining all invitations I make a conscious choice and nurture the relationships I hold dear to me. This keeps me grounded and connected and I can also share with them what is going on and vice versa, so everyone knows and has the right expectations.
There are a lot of other ways to take care of ourselves over the holiday season but here are a few of those I am practicing. I hope as you also go about your daily activities this festive season you will take the time to put you first. Set realistic expectations, give yourself a break every now and again and feel free to say no when needed, these are little actions but do go a long way to protecting your mental and physical health over this period. It is my hope that you remember to prioritise yourself as we end the year and enter a new blissful one.
Have a great week ahead!
Journal prompt: How can I incorporate mindful activities into my week to help me decompress?