Hopefully, for you the holidays are a time filled with love, laughter, family and more love. And while the season comes with hot cocoa, gifts, and promises of hope, there can also be a sense of the extra hustle and bustle leading to a sense of feeling overwhelmed. Additions to the day-to-day schedule, extra shopping runs to the local market, fretting over gift giving and a packed social schedule aid in the complexity of getting through the season.

During this timeframe, showing yourself extra self care is mandatory.

I know. You’re probably thinking – “ain’t nobody got time for that”.

Hear me out.

Just like on an airplane when you should put on your own oxygen mask before helping others put theirs on (so you do not pass out and become rendered useless), self care is required for you to be at your best especially during a holiday season when you’re around more people. You want to be at your best so that you have capacity to hear one more story from your aunt or can stay up late(r) hanging out with your nieces and nephews.

Self care – during a time when all we do is think about gifting others – can seem out of tune or out of line with the overall holiday spirit. But it’s not. It actually enables you to give the best of yourself to others.

3 things to consider for self-care during the holiday season

Given the holiday parameters (limited time, limited energy, etc.), I’ve compiled a few things you can do today to keep self-care a priority:

1. Journal: While this may not seem very fulfilling, spending 10-15 minutes in the morning can help reduce stress, remind you of what’s important, and help you reflect on the previous day. Time moves so quickly that you might find yourself recalling moments of laughter or jotting down ingredients that you need to pick up from the store. Here are a few prompts to help get you started:
   • What’s 1 thing that I learned about a family member yesterday?
   • Is there a new recipe I’d like to try or share with friends?
   • What was the weather like? What decorations made me feel happy?
2. Ambiance: Take the time to change your environment by lighting a candle or adding twinkling lights to an unexpected location in your home to brighten up an area. Play soft background music or make a cup of warm tea or coffee. Add in small mood boosters throughout your home to help ground you.
3. Hire a Cleaner: For me, one of the most challenging parts of a holiday season is keeping up with the chores around the house (even if I’m not hosting). Treat yourself to a clean home by hiring a cleaner before and after the busy part of the season. Just the peace of mind that you get from knowing someone else will be helping makes it worth it.

The holiday season can feel overwhelming – even if it’s a positive feeling. It’s extra important during this timeframe to take care of yourself. By taking care of yourself, it enables you to give more of yourself freely to others.

Think about it,

MJ