Have yourself a self-caring little Christmas

The holiday season is in full array, twinkling lights, razzle and dazzle! And while we are looking forward to gathering together and merrymaking, all these efforts to please everyone can take a serious toll on our well being.

When the list of things to buy, organize, bake and package, decorate, dress up and show up gets too long to handle, there is one person who always seems to get the short end of the stick.

Who is that you ask? It’s YOU!

We all have an unfortunate habit of cutting self care from our list of priorities when things get hectic. But here’s the thing. Busy, stressful, highly demanding times are when we need to give our bodies regular self care the most! This is exactly the time of year when we should be dialing up self care, not pushing our own needs aside.

When your schedule is packed it can feel impossible to find the time to get in your workout, cook yourself a healthy meal, and sleep a full 7-8 hours. Here are some solid, specific tips on how to do just that.

But...

Before we dive into it, there’s a little something we must get out of the way. Self care is not selfish.

It is self-LESS.

Let me hammer that point home and repeat it one more time because it is super important.

Self care is not self-ISH, it is self-LESS.

You cannot show up and meet the demands of the crazy holiday season if you are running on empty. You have loads of people counting on you, right? The only way to show up and be your best for them is to take care of yourself.

So, when you think about it from this perspective, self care is a completely selfless act. You have to take care of yourself in order to take care of everything else.

Okay. Now that we all agree...let’s talk about how to practice self care, during a notoriously tightly-scheduled season.

Schedule Time for Self Care Most of us are firmly tied to our digital calendars. If you want something to get done, be it attending a parent-teacher meeting or baking pies for your sister’s holiday party, you know you have to put the meeting or task or event on your calendar. If you don’t there is a very high chance of it simply not getting done.

When it comes to self care, you can do the same thing! Place 30-minutes to an hour for your personal workouts, schedule dedicated time for yourself in the studio, block out time for morning meditation or an afternoon walk right on the calendar and watch it happen far more often.

Set Yourself a Bedtime Reminder Once you turn on your TV and pop the cork on that delicious bottle of red, it’s super easy for time to get away from you. Next thing you know, the clock is showing a surprisingly late number and you know tomorrow morning is going to come far too soon.

One of the most effective ways to keep your energy up and your stress-level down is to get sufficient sleep. Don’t let time slip by. Take a long winters nap! This is the time of year to get intentional with your rest.

Pop into that mobile phone and set yourself a bedtime reminder for each and every night. Build in time for a soothing wind-down routine, including skin care, hot tea or milk, reading a book (careful its not too much of a page-turner), try some calming stretches, and enjoy calmly drifting off into dreamland. Dreamtime is when our minds heal and our bodies detox.

Commit to a Healthy Lunch Every Single Day This time of year, we are surrounded by a smorgasbord of decadent food that is extremely tempting and something everyone should indulge in as they see fit. Of course too, sometimes you start shopping or running errands and before you know it, you’re hangry and looking for the closest, easiest option. And that is often not the healthiest choice.

We all know that more than one alcoholic beverage and eating loads of rich foods that are high fat, fried, processed, or full of sugar leads directly to low energy, weight gain, digestive issues, difficulty sleeping, and so on. It can be hard to say no but, on the other hand, eating just one super healthy, nutrient rich, meal made from whole foods can make all the difference between being able to go, go, go and feeling in the dumps over the holiday season.

Self care is Self-LESS remember? That includes being disciplined about your urges.

Commit to eating at least one healthy meal each and every day. This is a simple way to make sure you are getting the fuel you need to drive your holiday engine all the way through the season. Also, it’s relatively easy to find a salad, even when you are on an all day shopping spree.

This year, put yourself squarely at the top of your list by keeping faith with yourself care regimen for daily exercise, plenty of sleep, and healthier eating. Your body, mind, and spirit will thank you for it and your holiday season will be merrier, brighter, and less stressful, too.