Fa-la-la-la! The holidays are here! Tis the season to be . . . going crazy? I’ve sometimes found myself sitting in a mound of wrapping paper, covered in tape and crumbs, thinking, “How did I get where I am right now? I thought I had everything together!” The holiday season can be super overwhelming, and unfortunately our craziness makes us miss out on all the good stuff going on around us!
Stop and smell the mistletoe and keep reading for how to keep what’s left of your mind!
- Plan your meals: Holidays often center around food, but what about those regular nights when you’re even busier than normal and uggghhh you still have to make dinner? Things can get pretty desperate. You can avoid that by taking some shortcuts. Dust off the slow cooker and hunt down some warm recipes. Slow cookers are amazing because you can often toss in your ingredients in the morning, turn it on, and later get greeted by the warm smells of dinner already done. You can also cook double the amount of food you would at dinner and stash the leftovers for another night. Soups are also very easy to make and comforting during the cold weather months. Many soups can also help you get great servings of veggies and protein, so you’re still eating well on a busy night. Check out my article on eating healthy when you are busy here.
- Warm up your workout: Winter is a great time to try some great indoor workouts that you might overlook when the weather is nice outside. Hot yoga is always a fun way to try some sweaty new moves in a toasty environment, and HOTBOX is an energetic workout that often uses kickboxing exercises in a warm room. Both styles are awesome opportunities to sweat off the cookies in the heat! Maybe you’ll feel like you’re basking in the sun for an hour!
Winter is a great time to try some great indoor workouts that you might overlook when the weather is nice outside.
- Just say no (sometimes): The holidays can get hectic for sure, but sometimes we bring the stress upon ourselves. We spread ourselves really thin by saying yes to do everything. We are YES people. However, we often fail to see how often we’ve said yes! Eeek! We may have to say no every so often to save our own sanity. Think about your priorities for this season and look at your schedule. Could you
make an awesome side dish for the office potluck but maybe skip out on attending yet another holiday party for your extended friend group? Is it going to be a huge deal if your second-string (not first-string) brownies make it in someone’s backpack to the class holiday party at school? You’ll probably be unscathed by saying no a few times, and you’ll be much more calm and confident knowing you have more under control.
We may have to say no every so often to save our own sanity.
- Take some “me” time: Let’s be honest here. We’re all friends! Some family you can only handle small doses of because, let’s be honest, they are a little toxic. On the other hand, sometimes it does your soul good to soak up every ounce of being home with relatives who are more supportive. Don’t feel bad about enjoying some extra time or limiting it where needed. Feel free to slip out of a gathering if you feel yourself getting worn out or excuse yourself for a break. Or frankly, use your other commitments to just say no if you’ve already had enough family time.
Don’t feel bad about enjoying some extra time or limiting it where needed.
- Stay grounded: It’s so easy to plan for perfection. My Christmas tree is going to be amazing! Everyone will RSVP on time to my holiday party, and I will look and feel effortless while being a hostess! The kids and I are all going to snuggle up with hot chocolate and watch a movie with no fighting or spilling! We have such high expectations for the holidays, and sometimes those expectations are so high that it’s impossible for us to not feel, well, disappointed at times. Try to keep your expectations realistic and go easy on yourself. We’re all trying our best, and that’s the best we can do. We can get so obsessed with having a perfect holiday that we miss the joy and happiness that is happening all around!
How do you handle the craziness of the holiday season? We’d love to read your thoughts below! Maybe even share some of your favorite easy recipes for the winter! My winter obsession are root veggies!
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