Taking Good Care of Ourselves During the Holidays

My sister-in-law, Kelly Arensen, is, by training, a health and nutrition coach and, by practice, a life coach. Her insight and care are treasures.

Kelly is writing a series of short articles offered to help us during this holiday season.

Please feel free to be in touch directly with Kelly, kellyarensen@gmail.com. A conversation or two with Kelly will help begin the new year with an positive frame of mind, reasonable intentions and a solid commitment – and very likely the success you desire.

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By Kelly Arensen

Many of us approach the holiday season resigned to the idea that whatever healthy-habits-wagon we have been riding on the past eleven months, we are going to fall off of between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. For some, this feeling of defeat brings us to wonder: “Why even try?  Isn’t that what New Year’s resolutions are for?”

My intent for this mini-series of reflections that I will share with you these next few days is to convince you that yes(!), it is absolutely possible and worth it to keep building habits and intentions toward better health, even before we ring in the new year, and no, it doesn’t mean giving up on all the holiday fun.

In this series I will share with you several wide-encompassing ideas that you can self-tailor to approach these next few weeks in a more intentional, proactive mindset.

DEFINE SUCCESS ON YOUR OWN TERMS

Navigating the holidays successfully can look different for each one of us, and I encourage you to write your own narrative of what it would look like for you.

Maybe for some of us, a health-minded approach to the holiday season means sticking resolutely to the hard-earned habits we have built up prior to this season. Have you been saying no to sweets and excess carbs, working towards an important weight or health goal? Maybe it makes the most sense for you to continue to draw that line in the sand and choose to delight instead in the experiences that won’t compromise your health in this way. Or similarly, maybe you know you have a personality whereby a slippery slope can be especially slippery, and you know that strict limits keep things easier and set you up for the best success. If so, pay attention to this and honor it! There are so many more ways to enjoy the holidays besides what we put into our mouths!

For others, maybe success means making room for relaxing some usual standards. Maybe you know that you’ll have the presence to regroup and redirect come January, and that for now, health means prioritizing the special social engagements of the season, partaking a bit in some extra indulgences, and you know you can balance some tradeoffs in how you normally take care of yourself.

Maybe for some it means turning intentionally inward.  Sure, there might be the obligatory gatherings and events, but maybe there is room to turn down a few invitations, or to otherwise clear some space and schedule time for quiet reflection and slower moments. Maybe it means looking back over the past year, or looking forward with purpose to new horizons ahead, or maybe it means honoring the nature of the darker days and colder weather and making time to hunker down in a favorite spot to enjoy a novel or time for journaling. For many, it might be finding ways to treasure the religious or spiritual significance of this season.

For some, success might mean practicing one tiny new habit that might not move mountains on its own, but can be the start of new momentum towards taking care of yourself and shifting the needle on your health and well-being over the long term, even while navigating the potentially health-busting minefield of the holiday season.

As you think through what success means for you, remember, health and well-being are much broader than we normally consider! Taking care of ourselves means much more than eating well and exercising. It equally means being mindful of our sleep, mood, relationships, spirituality, finances, purpose, and our general sense of well-being in the world. Addressing any one or number of these is, by definition, lovingly taking care of ourselves.

As we head into the heart of the holiday season, take a few minutes to write out your personal story for navigating these next few weeks in a way that respects you and your own unique needs, desires, and goals. Share it with a partner or loved one if that feels meaningful and helpful, but treat it as the promise it is that you have made to yourself, to own your power to make choices and decisions to move through this season with intentionality, purpose, and presence, honoring and caring for yourself even through the hustle and many celebrations!

About Kelly Arensen, Living Well Coaching

Kelly holds coaching certifications through the Institute for the Psychology of Eating and the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Prior to becoming a health coach, Kelly worked in the field of international public health, providing nutritional intervention for young children and mothers in developing and war-torn countries, including Cambodia and North Sudan. She holds a Master of Public Health degree from Boston University. Learn more about about Kelly’s living well coaching services.