Welcome to Holiday season y’all! Personally, the two of us, love holiday season! From cozy nights spent indoors watching Holiday movies with some hot chocolate to nights spent out in the city surrounded by bright holiday lights to all the celebrations we have planned with our loved ones- there is a lot that we look forward to during the holidays! While we are making a strong convincing case that we are filled with holiday cheer 24/7 during the months of November and December- we would be lying if we didn’t mention that holiday season anxiety that occurs. There are times where we can find ourselves struggling to stay present, thinking of those to do lists that can seem endless during the holiday season and the anxious thoughts surrounding the fact that another year has come and gone. So with all of that being said- we are taking it upon ourselves to prep for this busy, exciting and sometimes anxiety provoking time by thinking ahead to one of the best ways we know how to cope and take care of ourselves- and that is with a little bit (jk A LOT) of self-care and more specifically thinking about the types of self-care that will be of best use during this holiday season self-care routine!
Seven Holiday Self-Care Tips
- Create a schedule in advance so you can look at a calendar and know exactly when things are coming up. This will help prevent last minute runs to the store for something you forgot, and keep you from rushing from one party to the next because you didn’t realize they were on the same day. Check your calendar on Friday evening for the following week so you can prepare over the weekend and take advantage of Sunday by having time to set a more concrete schedule to follow and avoid any Sunday scaries!
- Start a gratitude journal. This journal will serve as a wonderful reminder of all that you have right now, in this moment. When you start your day by reminding yourself of all that you have to be grateful for, you’ll put yourself in a much better mood being mindful of the things that make you happy regardless of how you previous day went ! I talk a little bit more about my personal use of a gratitude list in A Simple Morning Routine for Self-Care if you want to check that out for ideas.
- Take breaks from social media. I know personally (Maddie here) that when a major milestone is coming up, such as the new year, I am more prone to comparing myself. Whether it is comparing my current situation to where I thought I would be or it is comparing my life to the feeds of those I see on social media and how they portray their lives to be (remember we all filter our lives in some way on social media) – I find my mood quickly shifting and not for the better as I begin to fall into that vicious cycle of compare and despair (see my self-care tips for social media to read more on this unhelpful pattern of behavior). During the times where I may be more vulnerable and prone to comparing myself to others, especially during new years, I try my best to break from social media. So this holiday season, if you find yourself scrolling thru your feed and notice an increase in anxiety or it negative impacting your mood- stop what you are doing, get off of social media, and break from it for however long you need until you are no longer engaging with social media in a unhelpful way.
- Exercise! Above all else, exercise gives you endorphins, which help to improve your mental health and physical well being. After all, it’s hard to be stressed when you’re sweating or concentrating on the next yoga move! If you’re looking for at home workout essentials, check out our blog post for ideas that are perfect for making your little home workout studio At Home Workout Essentials Under Thirty. When you find yourself feeling anxious- get outside and take a walk around the block- take in all that is around you to practice mindfulness and staying present. Chances are that when you do get outside you’ll find yourself filled with more appreciation for the holiday season as you see all the holiday decor and holiday excitement surrounding you!
- Find a day to play! Get out and about by doing something spontaneous with your friends, find something for you and your fur babe to do together, or head out on your own and create an adventure. Enjoy time outdoors (if it’s not too cold) by taking a nice walk, window shop, or go spoil yourself with a mani/pedi. And, when in doubt, dance it out!
- Volunteer or donate. There is nothing that feels better and fills up your spirit than helping those who are in need. In addition to loving on your fellow humans (or animals), it also increases your self confidence and gives you a feeling of accomplishment. There are so many ways for you to give back in some capacity whether it is with your time or donation.
- Give yourself a break! Every day doesn’t have to be a perfect day, so when you feel yourself getting stressed out or overwhelmed, just take a moment to step back and assess how you’re feeling, take a deep breath or a few of them, and stop for a moment just to refocus your mind. Take as many deep breaths as you need, the day will wait for you! We often find ourselves playing our favorite music if it’s energy and a mood boost that we are in need of but if it’s coping with those symptoms related to anxiety, both physical and mental, we find that listening to a meditation tape (or we even have found some hypnosis ones that we enjoyed as well too) can help lessen some of the symptoms or at the very least cope with the anxiety in that moment.
One the best gifts you can give yourself this holiday season will be your self-care routine 🙂
For more ways to take care of you- check out our self-care tips here!
