Self Care During the Holidays

The holiday season is in full swing! This can be a time of excitement, joy, love, giving, receiving, fun; and, it can also be a time of exhaustion, fear, guilt, and at times depression. 

This is a time when we want to be doing more self-care, not less. There are going to be a million things trying to grab our attention over the next few weeks, and I want to encourage you to be mindful of how, where, when, and with whom you spend your time. Here are few things to remember this holiday season:

Stick to routines

The holiday season is filled with parties, gatherings, fun-filled activities, shopping and so much more than what we normally engage in at any other time of the year. For me, this usually means staying up later than I normally do or not cooking the way I usually do. This eventually takes a toll on my body, energy levels, and ultimately my mood. Finding a balance between being way off routine, sticking with the routines with flexibility, and being rigid with the routines is often a struggle of mine. If that’s true for you too, first know that you are not alone, and asking for support in this area is a form of self-care!

Determine your non-negotiables

This is going to be different for everyone, depending on what resonates most with you. When thinking about self-care, some of my non-negotiables are to get enough sleep, have time each night (even if it’s just 5 minutes) to be in silence and breathe, eat the foods that make my body feel the best, and engage in my gratitude practice. Each of these helps me to slow down and enjoy the season. 

Other non-negotiables might be: movement/exercise, meditation, journaling, support and/or 12-step meetings, therapy appointments, connection with friends, time spent outside, reading, etc. 

Be intentional with your time

My experience of the holidays is that there is more to do than there is time to do it. It’s easy for my codependency to get really big around the holidays and at times I begin to feel incongruent. I say yes when I really mean no and want to make everyone happy. When I am intentional with what I say yes to, I can show up more present and excited with the people I am spending time with. 

Schedule out therapy sessions

With so much to do and so little time, I encourage all of my clients to schedule out therapy sessions through the end of the year and into January. The calendar can fill up so quickly at this time of the year, and it gets harder and harder to squeeze in therapy appointments at the last minute. If the appointments are already there, it’s been my experience that my clients stay consistent with their therapeutic work despite being busier at this time of the year. 

Lean in to relationships with your safe support people

Connection is a great protective factor. No matter which end of the emotional continuum I am landing in (“positive” or “negative”), connecting with my support people is a way for me to bring myself back into a grounded state. I can also get healthy accountability in these relationships to gain insight or an outside perspective on my feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. 

If you are needing more support over the next few weeks, please reach out to schedule an appointment with one of our therapists. We are accepting new clients and have immediate availability. We know that it is hard to prioritize oneself and we are here to help you have a different experience of the holidays— the experience that you want to have!

With love and gratitude, 

Chelsie