I’m sitting in a coffee shop right now, with a warm cozy scarf, lemon tea and the Charlie Brown Christmas album playing on my headphones. While this is a perfect setup, we all know that the holidays aren’t always as cozy and calm as this. In fact, they can often be hectic, exhausting, painful and lonely. There are a huge number of people who experience more severe depression and anxiety around the holidays. No matter who you are, know that you are seen and that there are others who resonate with what you’re going through. This is a list of ideas and strategies to get you through the next few weeks with more time for you, more time for laughing and eating with friends, watching netflix in your warmest slippers, and walking in the snow with loved ones (or whatever it is that gives you life this month). 

1. Write it own. 

Combine all post-its, phone lists and partial to-do lists in one place. Take 20 minutes to write down your giant, master to-do list. 

-what truly isn’t necessary or won’t make a difference if you drop? Don’t be afraid to drop things off your list! (e.g. rather than writing all your Christmas cards, send everyone a loving text on Christmas day, you can always get back to cards next year)

-delegate – enlist friends and family if their expertise can speed up the process and if they’re able to help. Collaborating is festive, makes everyone feel good and leaves a bit more space for downtime

-what can you realistically leave until January? Put those things on a separate list and put that list out of sight so you’re not using mental space for those things unnecessarily. This month is busy enough, right??

2. Feel free to say no. 

Don’t say yes to every invite just to be polite. You probably won’t bring your best self if you over-schedule yourself anyways. Be honest with yourself, do you truly want to go to that event? Don’t be afraid to decline. And if you’re introverted, and find yourself drained by social gatherings (even if you love seeing everyone), give yourself permission to leave anytime you need to. Only been at the party for an hour? No problem! Go home and spend the rest of the evening energizing in a way that suits you. Elf, popcorn and a warm blanket? Yes please!

3. It’s Go time. To create the most downtime possible, be efficient and designate work time seriously. Set a timer and eliminate all distractions. You might be able to shorten your workdays by doing this. Do the same for errands like Christmas shopping. Try to avoid multitasking because this just lengthens the process. Be serious about organizing your errands, treat them like work. That way, you get to spend more time doing your favourite things. (PS, it’s still advisable to do errands with Christmas music and your favourite beverage to make it fun). 

4. Avoid autopilot eating. It’s December, which means there will be cookies, chocolate, rich meals, and sweet drinks offered at every turn. Take a moment to really assess how you feel and what you’re craving. You might be surprised to find that your usual fancy Starbucks drink doesn’t feel quite as satisfying after endless treats. This is because your body knows deep down what balance you need. So if you find yourself craving healthy drinks and food, don’t just automatically consume all the holiday treats simply because they’re there. But if you’re really feeling like eating that cookie, then go for it and don’t feel guilty. Bottom line, listen to your intuition this month around food! 

5. Go with gut decisions. There are going to be endless decisions to make in the next few weeks. Wrapping paper, menu ordering, gift selection, etc. Research shows that decisions make us more confused and stressed. So with small decisions like this, save yourself the confusion and stress and just go with your gut. It won’t affect the outcome much, and then you can use that energy on being in the moment. 

6. Take care of yourself. Don’t skip out on sleep, eating properly and exercise this month just because it’s busy. Drink water, try to get some fruits and veggies in, and sleep whatever amount makes you functional. You won’t enjoy those holiday parties and gatherings if you feel awful. Enlist a friend to help you with this if that’s something that works for you. Or write it on your to-do list if you prefer. Don’t feel the need to check off every box every day. But the goal is to remind yourself so you take care of yourself well most of the time. Then indulge the rest of the time 😉 

7. Be easy on yourself and on others. No one’s perfect and the holidays shouldn’t look perfect either. Try to find humour when little things go wrong, and know that your love and intention towards someone will always outdo the physical gift that’s exchanged. Know that you are enough just as you are, right this second. Relax into that this month and bring that sense of ease with you if you can. This is a season of love, which is why it’s my absolute favourite. Sending love your way!