Prioritizing YOU During The Holiday Season
While this time of year can be heart-warming and joyful, it can also feel a little frenzied and overwhelming.
The time between Halloween and New Year’s Day can feel like a bit of a sprint. There can be a lot to celebrate!
During the holidays, there are often tensions in our priorities that can make it harder to put our health and wellness first. For most of us, long to-do lists and stress are not great for supporting our underlying health, particularly when living with a chronic illness.
This is an important time to remember how to strike your Chronically Well Balance.
In this case, the balance entails some radical acceptance of the practical challenges of your situation - and, your limitations - while still engaging in what brings you joy. It requires finding the balance that works for YOU.
What are your biggest challenges for maintaining your Chronically Well Balance this time of year?
FOMO (fear of missing out);
Family/Friends expectations;
Your expectations;
Over-scheduling;
Potential for over-indulgence; or
Something else?
For me, all of the above options that relate to overdoing it are my challenges. My default mode is to overdo, and why I need to prioritize a more balanced approach to my life.
Over the last few years, I have made a concerted effort to pare down my social engagements and to simplify how I prepare for hosting, giving gifts, etc. I also prioritize rest more than other times of the year. I do a lot of advance planning to try to avoid too much all at once.
I have found a lot of enjoyment in not overdoing it. But, inevitably, there are moments that I don’t avoid it. When that happens I know that I need to give myself some compassion for not striking the perfect balance. Then, I try to slow it down, reprioritize, and get some extra rest to help my body recover.
How about you? What are your biggest challenges during the holiday season?
I INVITE you to consider ways (big or small) to prioritize your wellness during the holidays and sharing some tips so that you can make it happen.
4 Tips For How To Prioritize YOU During The Holiday Season - Without Missing All The Fun
ONE: Remember the Joy (Your “Why”)
When your holiday calendar or to-do list starts to look overwhelming, it might be helpful to tune into your “why” - your reason for adding another engagement or responsibility to your list. It is likely that you want to spend time and celebrate with family and friends. And, you might want to enjoy the traditions that make you feel cozy and jolly. Who doesn’t want to have fun during the holidays?
But, when things start to get over-scheduled, it can start to feel draining and not quite as fun. It might be helpful to ask yourself whether adding something to your calendar will push you over the edge with symptoms and keep you from showing up for something more important to you.
Here are some questions to ask yourself:
Will an additional engagement or task actually add to your joy or detract from it?
Will the spoons (or body budget) spent on something be worth it to you?
Note that sometimes the answer is a resounding yes or no. But, it is helpful to ask yourself the question.
How significant are the health consequences?
TWO: Identify your priorities & Strategize
It makes sense to say yes to the things that feel right and fun. However, there are times that you cannot do it all.
If you have a chronic illness, you are likely too aware of the concept that there is only so much any of us can do in a day and how this can be disappointing and frustrating. However, accepting that you can't do it all can help curtail the time that you spend feeling this way.
When you want to identify your holiday priorities with an eye toward what you CAN do, maybe start here:
Make a list of everything that you are hoping to do.
Rank what is most important to you.
Consider what is realistic given what you need to do to care for yourself (i.e., the amount of rest and recovery you need to show up for daily life).
Consider what you can say “no” to, what can be rescheduled, delegated, etc.
Come up with a strategies to follow through on simplifying, rescheduling and delegating.
THREE: Have Self-compassion
Be kind to yourself. You and your body have been through a lot. And, adding unreasonable expectations to the mix is not going to do you any favors.
I typically have some moments in early December where, despite my best intentions and planning, I need to slow down, reprioritize and simplify. I need to remind myself of the prior years when I would inevitably end up sick in December and miss out on a lot - all because I pushed myself too hard.
That is when I need to recognize why it is difficult for me to slow down during the holidays, feel the disappointment for not being able to do *everything* and maybe pivot a little to enjoy needed quiet time on the sofa watching a movie. Basically, I need to notice why I get myself in the predicament, change course and enjoy the holidays in a way that won’t max out my energy or immune system.
FOUR: Lean into nurturing self care practices
In order to help balance out the frenzy when life gets busy, it can be important to put more focus on taking care of yourself - mind, body and spirit.
This might include the glitzy version of self-care that you see in ads. Or, you might not choose to take a spa day. Personally, I usually need unglamorous rest, exercise, nourishing food, hydration, and ways to find my sense of calm and joy. Honestly, I love watching a holiday movie under a blanket on the sofa as a means of self-care!
We all have our go-to ways to nurture ourselves. Think about what that is for you.
Interested in prioritizing YOU?
For more information on prioritizing your health during anytime of the year, check out this post on why prioritizing your health is true self-advocacy.
Sending best wishes to you for Happy Holidays and much success with striking your Chronically Well Balance.
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For more information on finding your unique balance with chronic illness, accept my free 7-Day Chronic Wellness Challenge to help you gain clarity on what you need to live well with chronic illness.
And, for one-on-one support with your Chronically Well habits and practices, check out my Chronically Well Membership. It’s a membership, an app and a coach right in your pocket!
When you are celebrating and/or traveling for the holidays, how can you prioritize your chronic wellness balance?
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