December. A month among months. For some of us it conjures Holiday joy and unbridled enthusiasm. That would be my sister. For others, social overload. That’s more me. And there’s always family involved, which makes everything …more. Absolutely every family brings more to December.
I’ve spent a lot of time talking about how to not just survive, but thrive during December with my clients and friends. In the Northern Hemisphere, it’s got the extra oomph of getting dark early and being extra cold. Here’s my rock solid list of ways to THRIVE this December – and really every month. But let’s focus on this one, shall we?
Love Yourself
Might sound silly but it’s numero uno. “If you don’t love yourself, how the hell you gonna love anyone else?” – RuPaul. This means your Aunt Janet, your overly chatty cousin Sam, the harried checkout workers at Trader Joes, your partner. Without you loving YOU, everything else feel strained. So make sure you’re loving yourself! It helps to say it out loud. “I love when I find a parking space in a crowded lot!” Be sure you’re acknowledging yourself for all that you are doing, which is likely a lot to accommodate other people right now. “I love that I make time for people that are important to me.” You don’t have to say it out loud in front of a crowd, but it does help to say it loud and proud. Sometimes, you just need to hear a nice ‘I love you’ from you.
Eat your veggies!
Again, this might sound silly to you, but the Holidays are known for being jam packed with candy, cookies, wine, cider, finger foods and cake. These are not kind to your body and if you don’t focus on eating enough green things, your cells can get depleted and you can end up feeling tired, cranky & rundown all the time. Take extra time to eat a salad or make a fresh juice. Want some inspiration? Kris Carr is my favorite spot to go to get simple, plant powered recipes.
Balance your time
Especially with so many variables pulling on your sleeve wanting attention, this can be tricky. Make sure during your week you have a good mix of social and recharge-your-batteries time. Schedule it into your calendar! Get coffee with friends, treat yourself to a pedicure, read a book. We all need some time to recharge, no matter how extroverted we are. Look at your calendar at least a week in advance so you can program it in. Make sure these things are spread through your weeks so you don’t get too emotionally drained or overwhelmed. Only have 5 minutes? Do this simple yoga routine under your desk at the office, or in your living room before hitting the Holiday party circuit.
Express Gratitude
Scientific studies have linked gratitude awareness and overall happiness. During the ‘season of giving’ be sure to give thanks for what you already have. Sometimes it’s so easy to fall into the trap of seeing our lives for what we don’t have, that we ignore and take for granted all the wonderful blessings already here. I’m hosting a 25 days of gratitude event on my facebook page. Every day I am sharing what I am grateful for, and you can do the same! Comment or tag Girafa Coaching and be part of the amazingly grateful community! It’s a great way to take a moment to acknowledge the beauty and brilliance that you already have.
It seems like right now we all need to take some time to remind ourselves to take time and proceed with intention. Some of these mechanisms take a moment to put into place.
If you take 10 minutes to set yourself up right, your entire life can change. Wouldn’t that be a Holiday miracle?
Share with your friends & family, and comment below with what you think and how it goes!
Ellen Ercolini is a Career and Life Coach dedicated to helping you figure our your life passion and purpose, so you can have the profession (and profits!) you want. Curious how she can impact your life? Schedule your free ‘uncork your awesome’ session with her here.
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