Featured photo by Aaron Burden
It often seems like there is an endless list of tasks that need to be checked off and have the”perfect” gifts to buy. Combine that with crowds everywhere and a huge spike in your sugar intake–and you have the perfect recipe for burnout. Can you relate?
Here are just a few things you can do to ease up on yourself this holiday season:
1. Prepare food ahead of time.
Cook meals and snacks that can be easily frozen. This way, you always have a delicious treat for that holiday pop-in or impromptu gathering.
2. Take a break.
When you start to feel stressed, go for a walk. Or…get a pedicure, a massage, take a bath. Schedule time for yourself into each day, even if it’s only 15 minutes. When we don’t take breaks during stressful times, we often make poor decisions.
3. Breathe.
Your breath is your greatest stress-busting tool. With just one deep breath, you start to re-set your nervous system. See what happens when you take 5 in a row!
4. Make your holiday gathering a pot-luck.
Why should you do ALL of the cooking, cleaning, and hosting? Have each family bring a dish. This way you have less to do and your guests get to show off their best dish!
5. Give up on perfection.
No matter how hard you try, nothing is ever going to be perfect and that’s the beauty of life, right? There will inevitably be one speck of dust that lands right before your guests arrive. Ease up on yourself. Sometimes the best memories are made in the moments that did not quite go as planned.
Remember what made the holiday season special to you when you were a child. It probably had nothing at all to do with eating the perfect meal or getting that absolutely perfect gift. In all likelihood, it was experiencing the magic of the unexpected and unexplainable, as well as being with those you love.
Identity Magazine is all about empowering women to get all A’s in the game of life — Accept. Appreciate. Achieve.TM Every contributor and expert answer the Identity 5 questions in keeping with our theme. As a team, we hope to inspire and motivate ourselves and inspire you to get all A’s.
What have you accepted within your life, physically and/or mentally? What are you still working on accepting?
I have accepted that change is the only constant in life. Change can be very painful or joyful–sometimes both at the same time. As a child, I wanted everything to stay exactly the same. I would pray (and try) to stop time so that everyone I loved would stay with me forever. It took a long time to fully surrender to the constant change, but I’m there.
What have you learn to appreciate about yourself and/or within your life, physically and mentally? What are you still working on to appreciate?
Personally, I appreciate my tenacity. I don’t give up until I succeed.
Within my life, I appreciate humor. I’ve learned that laughter truly IS the best medicine. Lessons often come to me in a humorous way. At one point in life, I decided that I would not date anyone who did not understand Looney Tunes references. The next person I went on a date with made a reference to Gossamer (the giant red monster) on our first date. I married him.
What is one of your most rewarding achievements in life? What makes YOU most proud? What goals and dreams do you still have?
One of the most rewarding achievements in my life has been finishing my first food cleanse. For the first time in my life, I completed something that no one else had a stake in or even cared about my completion. It was all about Me showing up for ME–because I deserved it.
I have many goals. My biggest one at the moment is to start speaking to REALLY large groups about matters of body, mind, and spirit.
We all have imperfections, so we think. The truth–we are all perfectly imperfect. What are your not-so-perfect ways? What imperfections and quirks create who you are–your Identity?
My not-so-perfect way is perfectionism. I’m a firstborn child, and embody all of the traits that come with that.
“I Love My…” is an outlet for you to express and appreciate all the positive traits that make you…well… YOU! Sharing what you love about yourself will make you smile, feel empowered, and uplift your spirit and soul. (we assure you!)
Identity challenges you to complete the phrase “I Love My…?
I love my eyes. I love their physical form, as well as their artistic ability to see things from a completely different perspective than most. I also love that they see beyond the seen.
