It’s that time of year again, the holiday decorations are going up! Holiday time can be stressful with all the planning, parties, buying gifts and personal commitments, but don’t let the stress of the holidays beat your ability to stay happy and healthy. As we look forward to a better year ahead, hopefully our 7 helpful habits will support you in nailing your 2022 goals!
1. Stay as close to your regular routine as possible.
We understand the challenges that are posed with the holidays. Amazing people, work Christmas parties and massive feasts. However, we all must try to keep on track with our personal routines. Not only will this help you stay healthy, but it will continue your personal journey and make the new year so much easier.
2. Mindful Consumption of food.
With so much food around on the holidays, it’s no wonder that we see an increase in serving sizes. The power of mindful eating is incredible, it will allow you to not only know when your body is full, but everything tastes better. If you want more, save some leftovers! 😊
3. Don’t feel guilty – believe in yourself.
The amount of food in front of us during the holidays is excessive. I don’t know about you, but I might be indulging in more ice-cream and cold drinks to beat the Aussie heat.
It’s normal to get a little carried away during those holiday meals, but the most important thing is not to beat yourself up when you feel like you failed at your health goals. It’s the holistic idea of healthy living that’s going to lead to longer lasting success and perhaps a more fulfilling life. Holistic living and mental well-being aren’t about cutting out everything you might enjoy. It’s about implementing better habits, learning from the shortfalls, and applying yourself to enjoy what you like in moderation. Food nourishes the body and mind, but just like anything else, too much might be pushing your limits in a negative way. Just be mindful of your limits and don’t let the guilt of enjoying yourself this holiday season feel like the be-all-end-all of your health-based goals.
4. Instead of rewarding yourself with heavy meals, reward yourself with activities and other meaningful experiences.
Instead of hopping on the endless holiday food train, reward yourself with activities instead of a chocolate treat. Use the reframing tool (Reframing: A Tool To Think Differently : The Innovation Framework) to gift yourself a trip to the beach or a day out with friends as a special moment that you earned.
5. Keep up that exercise routine.
Try your best to find opportunities to exercise, especially if you can follow your current workout regime. If you’re struggling, try one of PUML’s public challenges such as “Your steps, Our Steps 2021”, “60 Day Summer Beach Body”, or “Dust Off Your Boots”.
6. Gratitude for more than just presents.
We have a great opportunity to reflect on the things we’re grateful for, especially during the holiday season. Take a moment to be thankful for the people, weather and food is vital. We recommend keeping a gratitude or smile journal over the next few months (or even a few weeks), you’re likely to see a positive change when you look back to when you started to where you’re at. Consider it a present for yourself that keeps on giving by helping you shift from a negative state to a more positive mindset. Your heightened sense of self-awareness and positivity is only likely to keep you from taking too many steps back in your personal and professional goals.
7. CELEBRATE!
Our most important recommendation is to celebrate the year and be kind to yourself. 2021 was challenging; we’ve survived an international pandemic and are kicking goals while doing it. Take some time to celebrate your resilience, courage and opportunities you’ve had and the tough times you’ve endured.
We hope you find some of these habits helpful! If you have any other secret strategies for staying happy and healthy over the holidays leave a comment below!