Holiday Mayhem - It’s for real!
Holidays have you stressed? Make time to plan your week to give yourself back a sense of control. Meal prep and plan the menu for the week. This helps narrow your grocery list down and takes the daily pressure of “What’s for dinner” out of the equation. Make snack size “Grab-N-Go” bags to keep yourself going in between. Keep these on hand in the car, work or purse - you’ll thank yourself later!
Too much to do that you find your mind spinning? Write it down! Make lists of all the things you want to accomplish and leave it there. Work through the list as you can, reminding yourself you won’t forget as it is now written down. Emotionally spinning? Write that down too! It doesn’t have to make sense, just get out what your perseverating on, feeling, etc. There’s something cathartic about solidifying your thoughts in black and white (or blue, pink or green!).
Don’t let the holiday pressure get you down. Remember the true purpose of the holidays and focus on what matters most to you. Prioritize what’s important and kindly bow out of what’s not. Self care and making time to care for yourself should be prioritized so you don’t burn out (“put your mask on before you take care of others” scenerio - Its a real thing!). Spend more time doing what fills you up inside. Ultimately remember, you’re not alone. The holidays are stressful for everyone and there is a lot of sadness out there during this time. Reach out for support (or be that support if you’re able!) - friends, family or professional - you may even be surprised to hear they’re in the same boat!
Lastly and most importantly, give yourself grace! We are only one person that can accomplish a finite amount in a day. If your lists are not complete or you choose not to make a holiday event - that’s ok! Life happens - people run late, money runs tight and every year seems to bring new challenges. Allow space for the every day to happen and breath through the rest. Life goes on whether we’re stressing it or not - choose sanity. Be kind to yourself and to others.
