Surviving the Stress of the Holiday Season 🎄✨ | Ep 198

Music. Imagine getting up every day full of energy, as if you were in your 20s again. What would that be like? What would that be worth to you? What is your health worth to you? Think about it. Your health isn't everything, but without it, everything else is nothing. And yet, too many of us are taking it for granted until something goes wrong. No one wakes up hoping to be diagnosed with a disease or chronic illness. And yet, we've never been taught how to be proactive in our health through our school system or public health as a registered health coach and integrative health practitioner, I believe it is time this information is made available to everyone, combining new knowledge around your health and the ability to do my functional medicine lab tests in the comfort of your own home will allow you to optimize your Health for today and all your tomorrows, don't wait for your wake up call. Welcome back to another episode of The don't wait for your wake up call podcast. I am recording this for a December episode, and today we're going to be talking about surviving the stress of the holiday season. As the holidays approach, you might already feel a mix of excitement and maybe a touch of dread. You know, it's always that I'm really looking forward to this, and I'm not looking forward to this. This season is full of traditions and gatherings that can bring joy, but it can also be very overwhelming, and between the social commitments, shopping, family and even the pressure of the perfect holiday experience, it's so easy to lose sight of our own well being, and so today, we're exploring ways to make the holiday season more enjoyable and sustainable without sacrificing your mental, physical and emotional health. So I'm going to go through seven different tips for you to help you be able to better manage and navigate this busy season. So the first one is simply setting boundaries within your calendar. It's very simple and it's very powerful. And I think because it is so simple, a lot of people just discount it. However, your calendar is so crucial to you successfully navigating this season with some energy left for you, because we all know how busy the holiday season gets, and it can quickly feel like we have no control over our time. Everybody else is asking something of us. However, when we set boundaries, it isn't just about turning down invitations, it's literally about defining your holiday season. So as a practical tip, take a look at your calendar now and decide on a number of realistic events or gatherings that you can commit to give yourself permission to be intentional, don't say yes to everything, and start also by scheduling blocks of downtime as you would any important event, because that downtown downtime is important for you to be able to better navigate the holiday season, it could literally be a few hours on a Sunday to unwind an entire evening to relax with a book or watch a favorite holiday movie. Think of it this way. Imagine that you're filling a plate, a dinner plate at a holiday buffet, and just because there are 20 different options doesn't mean that you're going to put a little bit of everything on your plate, and your calendar works the same way. You don't have to put every single event into your calendar by setting boundaries, you can choose what brings you joy and satisfaction, rather than stress and exhaustion. So that leads us to point number two, which is embracing the power of saying no. Saying no is probably one of the hardest things to do during the holidays, we want to be part of every celebration we might struggle with FOMO, however, over committing leads to burnout and resentment and the sense of just going through the motions. Why am I here anyway? I'm tired. I'm exhausted. I'm not celebrating. Versus when you're intentional about which events you attend, you can go and have a good time and really enjoy celebrate and knowing that you have some downtime in your calendar on another day to help you recoup. So how do you practice saying no? Well, take a moment to think about which events or gatherings you truly enjoy. These are the ones that light you up, give you a sense of connection and meaning, and for everything else, it's okay to politely decline. Remember each no you say to an invitation is a yes for yourself, it's a yes to rest and recovery and time spent in a way that recharges you. So why is it worth saying no? Saying no is a form of self respect. By honoring your own limits, you're able to show up more fully to the commitments you choose, giving your best energy to that commitment, rather than spreading yourself thin across too many commitments. And so that leads us to point number three, which is scheduling personal time as a non negotiable. The holiday season brings a lot of togetherness, and balancing it with alone time is essential, especially if you're someone that knows you need that alone time. Giving yourself permission to take personal time may feel indulgent, however, is actually a necessity for recharging and centering yourself. So some ideas for personal time during the holidays. Maybe it's a long bath, maybe it's a walk in nature. You know those blue sky days with snow on the ground. Or maybe you don't get snow on the ground, but you've still got some fall leaves on the ground. The ground, or maybe it's a mini home spa day. You could pick up a favorite book or a journal to reflect on the year that's gone by and what you want in the year that's coming, whatever it is, make it a priority by blocking the time to do this in your calendar, and setting this time aside lets you reset so you can face the holiday events with renewed energy. And when you block personal time in your calendar, it's really important to not only block the time, it's important to say what you're going to do with that time so that when you get to that time, you don't start wasting it, thinking, Hmm, what should I do? I have this time? I don't know what to do. I pick up my phone and I start scrolling Facebook, and all of a sudden, the time is gone, because scrolling Facebook is not time that recharges and rejuvenates you. So I always put the time in. What am I doing with that time that I've set aside? Is it bath time? Is it skiing time? Is it going for a walk? Time? Is it a workout? Time? Is it reading a book? Time? What am I going to do with that time? So when the time comes, I already know what I'm going to do, and then I grab whatever I need and I go do it. This is all about refueling your own tank. If you drive all day without stopping for gas, you'll eventually be stranded. Regular self care stops you from getting stranded. It allows you to bring the best of yourself to the people around you, and at this time of year, it is very often the people that you love. So look after yourself, and you can show up as your best self, and that's what's really important. The next tip is that smart holiday shopping to reduce stress, the malls are busy. If you leave it all to the last minute, you're going to run into more stress than if you plan ahead. So this is all about planning ahead as much as you can depending when you're listening to this podcast this year, you may not have a lot of time to plan ahead. However, you can start planning ahead for next year. You can do your holiday shopping all year long and alleviate the stress of the last minute deadlines. Holiday shopping can be exciting. You know, I love being the mall, the Christmas music playing and all the decorations, etc, etc.

However, when you leave it to the last minute, it really does turn into a stress minefield, with crowded stores, long lines, everything. Takes longer than you thought it would, or that it does at any other time of the year, and then finding the pressure to find the perfect gift can make it all exhausting and draining and to the point where you don't even want to do it. So here are some pro tips. Plan to shop early, both in the month, as I said, or even in the year, as well as in the day. Mornings at the malls tend to be quieter, and so you're more likely to have a relaxed experience free from the afternoon holiday rush. You also want to make a list of what you need beforehand and any ideas that you have in order to avoid aimless wandering, which only adds to decision fatigue. And if you know what you want ahead of time, you can even kind of map out how you're going to walk around the mall, if it's a mall that you're familiar with, and you know you need to go to this store and then that store, and then that store. If it's a big mall, you don't want to be zigzagging all over the place. If you know what you need, you have a plan. You can start at one end of the mall and work your way to the other end of the mall in a really intentional approach that saves you time, which then makes the whole experience less stressful, because at the end of the year, let's face it, we tend to run out of time. You can also consider online shopping for even greater convenience and have it delivered to your home. Skip them all together, or explore local artisan markets that are in almost every community these days, where you can find really beautiful, unique, meaningful gifts without having to battle the crowds in the mall. And this can turn holiday shopping into a more enjoyable experience where you might even meet local artists. And in doing so, it makes the gift that you buy even more memorable, because there's a story behind it that you can then share with the person that you're giving giving the gift to. And here's a mental trick for you. If you start to feel overwhelmed with your holiday gift shopping, try this simple mental mindset shift. Instead, think of each purchase as a small gift of joy, and this reframes shopping from being out and checking all the boxes on your list to simply being about spreading a little holiday spirit. And when you take it from that approach, perhaps it becomes even easier for you to find gifts that people will appreciate. The next thing is, a big part of the holiday season is drinking, there's always drinking at so many parties and events. So what if we were to cut back on that by choosing to be the designated driver more often? We know that alcohol often flows freely at holiday parties, and it can also disrupt your sleep, therefore drain your energy, and that then adds to your stress levels, because the more sleep we get, the more stress resilient we are. And if we're getting less sleep, we are less stress resilient. A simple way to moderate your drinking is simply to offer to be the designated driver. I do it all the time. I don't drink much. Go to the pub. I have a great night out with my friends. The you know, server comes along says, What would you like to drink? I said, I'm good with water. I'm the designated driver. Even if I'm not, doesn't matter. I say that, and then nobody questions you. Everybody appreciates that you've stepped into that role, that you're being responsible, and you can still have a great time and not suffer the side effects of having consumed too much alcohol, poor sleep, low energy and higher stress the following day, being the designated driver literally gives you a built in reason to limit your intake while also keeping everyone safe and then cutting back on that. Alcohol has physical benefits, as I've said, it improves your energy, improves your sleep quality and your overall mood. You wake up fresh and rested the next day, and that allows you to enjoy the following day with energy, which is especially valuable during the crazy holiday rush. And just as a social tip, being the designated driver doesn't mean you're missing out simply enjoy the evening with a non alcoholic drink in hand, perhaps the holiday party you're at has some mocktails you can enjoy, or simply bring your own favorite non alcoholic beverage, depending if you're going to a friend's house or not. Obviously you can't bring that into a restaurant or pub, and this all helps you stay social and engaged. However, without over. Indulging. Number six is to choose nourishing foods and being mindful of sugar, because we know sugar is in everything, and it causes inflammation, which causes our, you know, us, to have aches and pains. It crashes our energy, depending how sensitive we are to it, we get the sugar spike, and then we get the crash. And unfortunately, holiday celebrations are often full of sugary holiday treats, and too much sugar can literally spike your energy temporarily, only to leave you feeling sluggish and tired later, with the crash, and it's easy to end up feeling overstuffed and lethargic by the end of the holiday season. So what are some mindful eating tips well before heading out to a holiday gathering, have a small, balanced meal or snack with protein, fiber and healthy fats. This will keep you from feeling overly hungry, making it easier to indulge in moderation once at the event, take a moment to scan all of the options and then pick a few favorites you genuinely enjoy, instead of grabbing everything inside. And you can make some simple choices. Instead of loading up on sweets and treats, reach for festive but healthier options, like veggie trays, nuts or even some dark chocolate, which contains antioxidants. That's my favorite health food, dark chocolate. You know, I enjoy dark chocolate, and I will have that rather than dessert most evenings of the week, just one or two squares, and I nibble it slowly, and I let it melt in my mouth. It's almost like it's an experience of enjoying my dark chocolate. And you can do that too. And these choices let you enjoy the flavors of the season without a major energy crash afterwards. And then, of course, number seven is prioritizing rest and quality sleep. Holiday gatherings often stretch late into the night. However, aiming for early bedtimes on quieter nights can help offset any late nights. It's not a perfect offset. It can help. Sleep is one of the best stress busters around it helps with mood immunity, mental clarity. So some sleep tips you can incorporate are creating a calming bedtime routine on the nights you're home, dim the lights maybe enjoy warm, warm, caffeine free tea as you also calm your nervous system, Power down your screens at least an hour before bed to stop the blue light getting into your eyes, you can use new column frequencies to help you get into a deeper, more restorative sleep. Check out the links to this in the show notes, and also listen to my podcast episodes 160 and 161 to learn more. It's a really powerful app that can help support deeper, more restorative sleep. We want to prioritize sleep as though it were an essential holiday activity, because it is. It could be in your calendar too eight hours of sleep, as opposed to I'm too busy. I'll just do one more thing. I'll just do one more thing. I'll just do one more thing. And before we know it's 1am and we haven't been got to bed yet and we have to get up at six. The power of rest. Let's just talk about that. Imagine a holiday season where you don't end up exhausted and run down by honoring your need for rest, you are setting yourself up for a more enjoy, enjoyable and resilient holiday season. Just because it's the season of giving doesn't mean you should give up your own well being. You must prioritize it, because self care is the most selfless act. That was when I first heard that, it's probably about seven years, eight years ago now, it blew my mind, because I always thought self care was selfish, especially if I did it first I thought I had to look after everybody else, and only then could I look after me. And of course, there was never really time for that. As a busy mom, wife, had a career, etc, so I made a mantra for myself, and I'm going to share it with you here, and I want to leave it with you is something that you remind yourself of every single day,

that self care is the most selfless act, because it allows you to show up and give the world the best of you instead of what's left of you. If. And it was when I made that mantra for myself that I was then able to block my self care time in my calendar back at step number one and create boundaries. And I was able to learn how to say no to people step number two, because I realized that saying no to others was saying yes to me, and I'd never done that, and saying no doesn't have to be hard, doesn't have to be rude. You can simply say no, I'm not available. Thank you for the invitation. And no is a complete sentence in the sense that you don't have to justify or explain why you're saying no. You can just say no politely, with no justification, no explanation required. Self care is so important because when you are well, rested, healthy and calm, you can show up fully for those you love, you're able to bring the best of yourself to every holiday moment. And it's it truly is about giving people the best of you, rather than what's left of you, because then you feel good in yourself being able to show up in that way. So just a quick recap of our holiday stress Survival Guide. First off, use your calendar to set boundaries and carve out downtime throughout the entire month of December and into the first week of January, and continue that new habit throughout the entire year, because this self care doesn't just end with the holiday season. It's just really important during the holiday season, because our calendars do fill up so quickly with all the invitations say no to events that don't resonate with you. Schedule personal time for recharging between events. Plan your shopping early to avoid crowds and stress. Consider cutting back on drinking by being the designated driver. Make mindful choices around your food to keep your energy steady and protect your sleep, to keep stress manageable. So remember, you don't need to make the holidays perfect. What is perfect anyway? And you certainly don't have to make the holidays perfect for everyone else at the cost of your own well being. By practicing these strategies, you can maintain a sense of peace, balance and even joy throughout the season. These are just a few of the strategies you can implement. And a few years ago, I created an online course called 12 Days of Christmas, surviving the eating, drinking and stresses of the holiday season. So if you'd like to dive into more of the strategies you can implement, I'll put the link in the show notes. Some are mentioned here. However, there are more in the course, and it's free. It's my gift to you, because I want to wish you a holiday season filled with warmth, connection and moments that truly matter. So thank you for tuning in, and may you have a holiday that's as restful as it is joyful, and there's still a couple more episodes of The don't wait for your wake up call podcast to come out this year. And then we will be starting in 2025 with a whole new series of incredible guests coming on the show. Please join us for the next two weeks, December 14 and december 21 we do have episodes coming out. We thank you for your support throughout this incredible year, with many highlights throughout the year, two of which are my episode 184 with Dr Bruce Lipton, so honored that he came on my show and we had a great episode, and also the fact that I received the award for the most inspirational and motivational podcast through the women in podcasting awards this year. And I couldn't have done that without all of you listening to my episode, sharing it with others, and learning about your health, about your mindset and about how you can show up as your best version of yourself, whether it's the holiday season or any other day of the year. So thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Wishing you a beautiful December and a wonderful holiday season of 2024 thank you for investing this time with me on the don't wait for your wake up call Podcast. I'm so glad you joined in. If you can take two minutes to share this episode with someone you think can benefit and have a positive impact on their life, that would be wonderful. Please leave a review by going to your favorite podcast listening app and let me know what you enjoy or would like to hear more of it will support me in my effort to bring the possibility of natural healing to a wider audience and help disrupt the sick care system we have today and make human health a global priority. Health is your true wealth and.