How to Thrive Through the Holiday Season!

Yes it’s that time of year again, the season to be jolly.  So why might you be starting to feel a creeping sense of anxiety and even a little bit of dread?

The truth is this time of year often finds most of us scrambling around trying to get everything done.  Buying presents, wrapping up our work and making travel arrangements. By the time the holidays finally arrive, we’re usually so tired that in our rush to relax we forgo all the small habits that make it possible to flourish during the year.  Then before we know it the holidays are almost over and we’re starting to wonder just how we’ll get through the year ahead.

To be honest, it can be exhausting just thinking about it.

You see as our expectations rise and our routines are disrupted around this time of year, it’s easy to start spiraling down towards a place of overwhelm, tiredness and even a sense of helplessness. 

So what can you do to help your flourish during this holiday season? Here is what I’m going to do to not only survive, but THRIVE!

As a person who gets really excited about new projects and festive parties, I have a terrible history of saying yes to everything in the heat of the moment. While my enthusiasm has yielded some great outcomes, it has also resulted in me hosting houseguests I couldn’t handle, serving on too many committees to count, and forcing me to foot the bill for events I didn’t have the budget for.

But there is a power and a freedom in saying no, not yes, and it’s a power that we should all know how to tap into — especially during the holidays.

You don’t have to go to every party or wreath decorating wine night you get an invite to. You don’t have to host your extended family for a huge dinner or evening of cocktails. Now you surely CAN, I’m not telling you to be the grinch this year. 

Just know that it’s okay to say no, to draw your line. It is vital to say no, so you can say yes to what really matters.

With company, family and more people everywhere, more work, more traffic, etc. we get stressed easier. Do you feel it already? I know I do. 

This time of year, my me time looks like curling up in front of a good holiday movie, in comfy pajamas, with a candle burning, and drinking a cozy warm beverage, like this delicious chai tea latte (it’s better for you than other alternatives!) Ahem, coffee, ahem. 

Vow to yourself to make “me time” over the next couple of months and add “calm” to your day. Sometimes I get so frantic over the holidays because there’s so much to do – between holiday parties, shopping, decorating, family get-togethers, cooking, prepping, and more – it’s hard to find those moments to slow down and be intentional. But it’s such a beautiful time of year, and I’m so excited for it! My goal is to enjoy the small moments more this year.

What is the first thing to slip through the cracks this time of year?

Is it your diet? Exercise? Self care? Business? Side hustle? Relationships? Hobbies? 

We all have something that is first to drop off our imperfectly balanced plate. Don’t just write this time of year off. I get it’s way easier to justify why you aren’t keeping those promises you made yourself, but if you want to hit the ground running in 2020, do yourself a favor. 

Are you going to slip up? Maybe. Does that mean you give up altogether? HECK NO. Life is about balance. There will be days you are ON it and those days that are a little less than on. BUT, don’t throw away all your progress you’ve been making because “it’s the holidays.”

STAY ON THE WAGON and prioritize the things that will keep you moving towards crushing your goals.

An attitude of gratitude means making it a habit to express thankfulness and appreciation in all parts of your life, on a regular basis, for both the big and small things alike. 

As Howes puts it, "If you concentrate on what you have, you'll always have more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you'll never have enough."

If you're like me, you wish this feeling could last all year long. Just imagine feeling proud, thankful, and joyful on an ongoing basis, not only during the holiday season.

Don’t just tick the days off your calendar, make each day count by having goals about what you hope this holiday season will be.   It might be: “Making time to slow down and connect with the people you love”; “Reaching out to others less fortunate than yourself”; “Restoring your energy and renewing your focus so you can flourish in the year ahead.''  You won’t get these days again, so how can you live this time purposefully?

The holidays have come around quickly this year. But I hope we can all create a holiday season that we genuinely enjoy. Take control of your sanity, peace, and joy this holiday season.