Holiday Survival Tip: Expect
November 27, 2024
Holiday Survival Tip: Find the Joy
December 11, 2024
This article is part of a series originally published in 2021. Revisions have been made by the author.
December is a busy month. It is also cold and dark out. People are tired and yet they keep pushing. Holiday marketing encourages a sense of frenzy. Meanwhile errands and gatherings promote sharing of colds and more. Your resilience depends on having sufficient energy to focus on your priorities. One of the best gifts you can give yourself is rest. Prioritize this in your schedule in whatever way works for you. Here are a few ideas:
Take 10
When I worked as a mental health therapist, I had some people come to their appointment so keyed up that they could not tell me how they were doing. Feeling their frantic energy, I would take a slow breath and notice, out loud, that they seemed to be moving in fast-forward. We would take 10 minutes to do nothing. In those 10 minutes they might use the restroom, color, or figure out where they put their keys. A few minutes to do what they needed was just as useful as any therapy. Another slow breath after 10 minutes allowed us to return to our focus. Take 10 minutes, for yourself or with another, to pause and breathe.
Relax Here and There
Use moments here and there to relax your physical self. When you are out holiday shopping do a few stretches as you get out of the car. During a zoom meeting take a slow breath and wiggle your toes. If you can be off camera stand up and reach for the ceiling. Sprinkle head rolls, hand stretches, and yoga poses throughout your day. If people are willing, invite them to join you. Cuddle your kids, pets, and loved ones for a few minutes. Taking moments to relax your body reminds your brain that while you are busy, this is not an emergency.
Give Your Brain a Break
If your brain is swirling with all that MUST be done dump all your ideas out to give yourself a chance to take a step back and assess the mess. This allows your brain to rest. Find someone to help you brainstorm or problem solve. Remember that you are not the solver of all things. You are only going to do what you can and that will be good enough.
Go All Out
Call in sick to the world. Curl up in a blanket without lecturing yourself to “get up and get going – for crying out loud!” Take a day off. The whole day. Allow your body a day to slow down, breathe deeply and sleep. Stay away from social media and news. Write, color, or cook. Allow your brain to sort out your thoughts without processing new input. A day with no input other than your own basic needs.
In this darker time of year, we all need a little more rest. There are many ways to meet this need. Building rest into your routines by taking 10, relaxing your body, giving your brain a break, or going all out and staying home increases your resilience. You deserve to take care of you during this busy season, and all year long.
Peace,
Laura A. Gaines
Holiday Stress Release Session: I am offering a special kind of coaching session this season – for the same cost as a one-hour coaching session I will do a 90-minute listening session. A confidential, no judgement time allowing you to fully express yourself and come up with next steps. Sessions are by phone or zoom, the the cost is $100 payable in advance by paypal, venmo or cashapp. To schedule, click the button below.
