I know that for me, the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas always seems to go by too fast. Anyone else??? Every year it feels like there is so much to do, so much to fit in. How can we approach the holidays in a way that feels more life-giving and restful and less hurried and distracted? How can we enter the new year feeling more present and centered rather than feeling like we need a few weeks time off from our so-called “vacation”?
Gifts to buy, family plans to be had, decor to get out (and to put away…), seasonal food to make – all the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season is enough to make anyone’s head spin. What’s more, the holidays can be an even more challenging time if you are struggling in your relationship with food. There may be get-together after get-together featuring festive holiday food as well as family time + plans less outside of our normal control. Even if you are reading this and don’t consider yourself someone who struggles with disordered eating or an eating disorder, you may still experience some of the anxiety + guilt surrounding food that is so common in our culture, especially at the holidays.
For me, this is the first Christmas I have had in a long time where I wasn’t in school or (last year) my dietetic internship. “Christmas break” was always intermingled with finishing grad school projects, dietetic internship applications, dietetic internship work, prepping for a new semester, etc. etc. THANKFULLY I am done with all that. With the heightened pace of work in December and/or work I had to get done over the break, it was hard to feel rested over the Christmas + New Year holidays.
Even if you are in school or a place of increased busyness for whatever reason during December, how can you create (even just slightly) more rest and presence for yourself this holiday season? How can you experience more of what you truly want over the holidays (whatever that may be for you) and less of what leaves you feeling drained and discouraged heading into the new year?
I’ll share some thoughts that come to my mind heading into the holiday season, and hopefully you will feel encouraged or inspired to think creatively about rest + mindful presence for your own holiday season in whatever way that might realistically look like for you given your current circumstances, challenges, and life season.
