Holiday season has arrived! (along with extra stress & the winter blues💙)
I want to remind you to be nice to yourself and set boundaries where you need them!
{If you would rather listen to this, tap here}
You are the only one who truly knows how you are feeling and what makes you comfortable.
Do what YOU need to do for YOU.
There is nothing wrong with not doing things that you know are going to just make you sad. Especially if you are grieving or deeply missing someone you love. Just because something is ‘tradition’ in your life, doesn’t mean it has to be done every year. Traditions can be changed or tweaked to best suit you and your situation!
In a season of go go go, it's good to pause, rest, regroup and change things up to fit your current needs.
10 Ways to be Nicer to Yourself This Holiday Season
(and any time of the year):
1. Eat More Plants
It's hard to feel good when our brains aren't working properly. Plants are biological joy and peace of mind givers! There are SO many chemical reactions that happen within our bodies and minds when we eat plants. I personally experience such a clearer and lighter mind since I started eating more plants daily. You don't have to micromanage a thing! Just eat more plants and let your body handle the rest.
2. Practice Gratitude
Try focusing less on the holidays themselves and more on what you are grateful for. Feeling grateful and expressing your gratitude for the things and people around you, is a wonderful gift to give both yourself and others. Writing those things down somewhere (not necessarily in a social media post) can also really help you get a wider perspective of your gratitude.
3. Do Things That Bring You Joy
Think about some things that you reallllly enjoy doing and do them. Not things that bring your partner joy, nor things that bring your kids joy-- things that bring YOU joy. It doesn't have to make sense to anyone else but you. And don't be afraid to do those things by yourself! I think we often put off doing things that we love because we don't feel like we have anyone else to do them with. But doing things by yourself can be just as fun (if not more fun) and very liberating. I encourage you to give it a try!
4. Move Your Body
I say "move your body" very vaguely, intentionally. Any form of movement will be helpful to you! Many of us know that moving our body and breaking a sweat is super beneficial to our body and mind. But what happens when that advice leads to even more stress on our body? When we are stressed, overworked, tired and exhausted, it can do more harm than good to put your body through an intense workout program.
I encourage you to open your mind to more forms of movement the next time you think about: "working out because you know you need to" or "getting back on your workout grind". The movement that you choose doesn't have to be intense, require a gym membership, nor make you incredibly sore. It can be something that genuinely feels good to you.
Some of my favorite ways to move my body are: walking, yoga, dancing, stretching & playing with my dog.
5. Feel Your Feelings
Rather than trying to distract ourselves and/or run away from our feelings, its most helpful to dive into them. When we feel what we're feeling and think about why we feel that way, we help our bodies release that negative energy that can otherwise get stuck inside and accumulate in destructive ways. Your feelings may not even make sense to you sometimes. But know that they have a purpose, and are there to be felt and acknowledged by you, rather than numbed or disregarded.
6. Get Extra Sleep
Your body (and mind) need rest to function at its best! Try going to bed earlier than usual or taking a nap at some point during the day. Even just a 20 minute nap can go a long way.
7. Breathe Deeply
Simply sitting with your thoughts and taking full, deep breaths can essentially reset our nervous system within seconds! One of the most helpful breathing tips I ever heard is to calm your body, make your exhales longer than your inhales. For instance, inhale while you count to 4 then exhale while you count to 8, and repeat 5-10 times. Watch what happens! Tap here for more on breath work and meditation.
8. Have a Meaningful Conversation
What do you care about? Try reaching out and talking to someone about some of the things that have been on your mind. Sometimes all we need is someone to listen and make us feel heard, even if it’s just for a few minutes. It may not feel like something you want to talk about. But stepping out of your own thoughts and talking things out can bring you feelings of relief, joy, and connection. You also may find yourself surprised that when you open up, other's feel comfortable to open up too.
9. Clean Your Space
Whether you like cleaning or not, for most of us, when our living space is clean, we have more mental real estate and clearer thinking. Cleaning can also be another great way to move your body. Listening to your favorite music while you do it will make the act of cleaning more enjoyable!
10. Listen to Uplifting Music or Podcasts
Speaking of music, the things that you listen to matter! Music and other things that you listen to, are heavily absorbed by your subconscious brain. It takes everything that's being said literally, no matter what you consciously think.
I won't go into all about the power of speaking things into existence, you can do your own research on that... but when you add up the emotions that come along with listening, feeling, and singing along to music, it can be a very impactful combination. (Think about why so many religions have singing songs as part of their devotional practices).
Music, and other listening content, can be an extremely uplifting tool, but it can also be extremely depressing or triggering. Especially Holiday music...I know you've been there, at least to some degree. Some of the most popular songs can be sneakily depressing when you actually listen to the lyrics.
So its helpful to filter certain things in and out, to help you put or keep your mind at ease.
I’ve been listening to these songs/affirmations/lyrics/podcasts for a while now and I’m serrriously seeing so much improvement in my self confidence, self love, & genuinely nicer voice in my head.
I think it can really help you too! Not saying you are lacking any of those, of course. But I know you're human and you deal with difficult situations, stress, & grief. These playlists can REALLY soothe you over time💜
Great times to listen to them:
--When you're mind is racing/overwhelmed or your thoughts are just going no where good
--When you're driving or traveling in any way.
--When you're doing your hair or any other self care
--When you're getting ready to go somewhere
--When you're working out
--When you're cleaning
--When you're resting
--When you're cooking
I hope this helps!
Bookmark this page to come back to it whenever you need some inspiration
& send to someone that you love that could benefit from reading/hearing this!
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