Holidays can be a wonderful yet stressful time of the year, however, this year things are just too complicated. Instead of gathering with close friends and family, most of us are mandated to stay at home or prefer to stay home and not put ourselves at risk. Nevertheless, here are some ways to cope and stay safe, sane, and healthy this holiday season.
Take care of your body
As cliché as it sounds, it’s the truth. The body is a vital element to your well-being. When your body feels good, you feel good. Make time to develop a good habit and find a balance in your diet by eating healthy foods, drinking plenty of water, and occasionally indulging in sweets or a favorite dish. This may require meal prepping for the week and this way it’s also easier to hold yourself accountable, or else you may find yourself overeating all the caramel popcorn and candy canes. Remember to treat your body nice.
Stay Active
While binging on the new Netflix series and lounging like couch potato sounds quite delightful, you want to make sure you stay active. Lately, I have found myself walking the dog daily and longer than usual, but there are many other ways to stay active: going for a jog, doing your workouts at a local park, strolling the beach or mountains, or even doing some chores at home. My preference is to get in touch with nature and smell the fresh air but whatever your interest may be, ensure you stay active, I know your mind and body will thank you later.
Build Closer Relationships
By now, some of you are tired of being at home with the same people but take advantage to develop closer and more meaningful relationships with those in the household. Be open, talk about the hard things, the vexed ones, the good times, there is so much more to learn about a person. A pandemic won’t last forever, but the in-depth relationships you nourish and create will change your perspective on life. Building closer relationships will create trust and a safe space, and with holidays right around the corner, we need people to talk to.
Create New Traditions
COVID holidays are not what we expected, but this is a great time to begin your own and new traditions. This year, I cooked a Thanksgiving meal for the first time and finally decorated the house for Christmas; I even bought the dog a Santa suit. Giving the holiday a new trend can make it more personal. There are so many ways to begin your own tradition, small things from baking, playing Christmas movies, or creating your own ornaments. You could potentially start a trend that will go down in future family gatherings, who knows.
Keep Your Mind Busy
This is key. The mind is the most powerful tool your body contains. Take care of it. Read, write, draw, sing, laugh, run, and keep your mind healthy and busy. Find the things that give you peace and purpose. This year, presents may not be feasible, gift exchange will be like a jigsaw puzzle, and sharing food may not be possible, but don’t sweat the little things, we are all in this together.
In retrospect, appreciate life today, many people are no longer with us and will not be able to spend the holidays with us ever again. Find simple things you enjoy doing this holiday season and create new memories with those around you. Even during a worldwide pandemic, we can all find a little joy.
