How many times do you recall hearing, “After the holidays I’ll get back on track,” or “This season is just too busy and I can’t take on one more thing. I’ll recommit in the New Year?” Far more times than I’d like to admit, these words have surfaced and resonated within myself. And here we are yet again; another holiday season has come upon us.
C.S Lewis said, “Failures, repeated failures, are finger posts on the road to achievement. One fails forward toward success.”
Is it possible to learn from our mistakes? Absolutely! I believe it’s safe to say that any mom out there would agree that some of life’s biggest lessons are learned through our failures. If you have struggled in the past with sticking to your health goals during the holidays, let me tell you, dear one, you are not alone!
As a health coach, I work with patients year round helping them identify what matters to them, and why they want their health. I help them create SMART goals and help them make realistic changes to their health behaviors. But what about all the moms out there who are working so hard to make this time of year so special for family and friends… who find it so hard to carve out a little time for themselves? Let’s be real, added holiday stress increases reliance on unhealthy behaviors! So, where do we begin?
One of the first things you can do is by saying yes to just one thing that is possible. With the spirit of the holiday season all around, anything is possible — you just have to believe in yourself.
READ: This Holiday Season, Give Yourself the Gift of Grace
For some moms it may be possible to commit to a daily workout routine with a virtual accountability group. For other moms, it may be increasing your water intake over the next 30 days. Or it might be taking time to stretch every morning, and practicing mindfulness with apps like Insight Timer or Calm. Whatever your next action step will be, it’s important to ask yourself three questions:
- What is possible?
- Why am I doing this?
- Is this realistic?
Moms are great at keeping it realistic for everyone in the nest, but ladies, have you considered what is possible for you this season?
Take a moment to just sit in silence — correct, complete silence — so perhaps on a porch or patio, or in a bedroom, basement, or closet. Now, take a deep breath in through your nose, and exhale deeply through your mouth with a long sigh. Repeat this a few times, until you feel calm. Next, simply take a few moments to sit with the following questions. What’s possible? Why does this matter to me? Is it realistic? Take the next few moments to reflect what is possible this season!
There are so many things to complete on the holiday to-do list, but at the very top of your list should be the gift of self-care through your health. Will you join me in making this the most wonderful time of the year by saying yes to your health?
