12/24/22
on the eleventh day of blogmas, bravebutsoft gave to me...
self-care during the holiday is just as important as any other time of the year...
remember to take care of yourself!
self-love rainbow (aka blessings manifesting) is a genuine and loving human being that also works to break the stigma surrounding mental health and she created a "holiday self-care challenge."
kinda stealing her thunder, but I am giving her all the credit!
this time of year is a stressful time for everyone...the more stress you are under, the more self-care you need!
here are some ways to focus on yourself and your feelings this time of year.
make space for messy feelings
ask yourself: are there any feelings of grief, loss, anger, or depression that surround the holiday season for you?
if there is, identify and sit with this emotions. allow yourself to be okay with these emotions, sit with them, and when you are ready, move through them. messy feelings are nothing to be afraid of, just something that can take some extra work.
allow yourself to receive
remember: you are allowed to want things. you are worthy of receiving gifts, love, and attention without feeling guilty.
this time of year is hard. you want to buy presents for everyone, but prices are insanely high and just don't allow it. it's okay if someone gets you a gift, but you couldn't afford to return the favor. you should not have to feel guilty for that. price tags are not necessary to focus on this time of year (even though they are pushed so so much).
learn to say "no"
reminder: you don't have to do or be perfect. put the focus on doing what you can do and setting good boundaries.
this is quite literally the busiest time of the year. you are not required to overextend yourself in order to make others happy. you have to do what's best for you and set your own boundaries and follow them.
focus on connection
disclaimer: it's easy to get caught up in gift-buying, food cooking, and family obligations. focus on connecting with yourself too.
self-care is NOT selfish, remember that! it is okay to focus on yourself from time to time in order for you to connect with others as well.
pause the body criticism
remember: the holidays can be full of body shame. if you find yourself being critical of your body, pause and redirect the thoughts.
instead of "I am going to gain so much weight for the amount of food I've been eating" say something along the lines of "I am thankful that this food has been provided for me to enjoy."
check your stress level
idea: make a list of holiday activities that bring your stress level down. make more time for those things.
this can look different for everyone, but make sure you are setting time aside for things that will help you decompress and focus on decreasing your heart rate. focus on these things and let them have a special place this holiday season.
create your own traditions
remember: if the traditions from childhood no longer serve you, then you are not obligated to continue them. create your own new traditions to do with yourself and others.
ideas: holiday books, movie night, holiday nostalgia, or holiday games. bonus points if it's a stress reliever.
disclaimer: this is not an exhaustive list... you can create your own self-care tasks and to-dos and make them unique to you!
take care of yourself this holiday season & remember you deserve to be here
xx Loryn
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