It’s Friday, so I’m linking up with Fairytales and Fitness for the Friday Five. I’ve been working on a wellness series at work and have been thinking a lot about how the holidays will be challenging this year – like everything else.
Here are some tips that we came up with for our webinar:
Decide what you want to do and stick with it. If you’re skipping a gathering, express your regrets. If you’re hosting, let people know your “house rules” in advance and don’t take it personally if others opt out. For us, making the decision to stay home was tough but kind of a relief when things were said and done.
Recognize your feelings. It’s OK not to be OK. Many of us will feel loneliness and disappointment among other feelings this year. There are many models to process your feelings but an easy one that I like from Passion Planner: Notice It, Name It. Feel It. Breathe. Unpack It. Learn more here.
“Reframe” the negatives. All of the changes and cancellations this year are hard, but it’s not all bad. Consider some positive consequences of this holiday season: fewer obligations, lower costs for travel and more time to focus on healthy eating, exercise and self care than usual. Think about a few “silver linings” from this year already and some that you may find in the months ahead.
Create new traditions. If you can’t have your holiday meals and parties or visit relatives in other places this year, start new local or at home traditions. You can volunteer with a local organization, plan a delivery pot luck and then enjoy a meal together on Zoom or plan a socially distant outdoor walk or run for Thanksgiving or Christmas Day.
Don’t forget to breathe! Stressful times call for a time out. There are tons of meditation apps like Calm and Headspace. One technique that works for me is called 4-7-8 breathing or “box breathing.” It’s been touted by wellness guru Andrew Wiel. How does it work? Close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose to a mental count of 4. Hold your breath for a count of 7. Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound to a count of 8. This is one breath. Repeat. Learn more here.
What ideas do you have for making this unusual holiday season less stressful and more fun? Please leave them in the comments.
Have a good weekend!
PS. Don’t forget my great giveaways!