Holiday stress is such a real thing. I mean let’s just be honest, there is SO much pressure. All the cooking, baking, dressing nice, trying to keep the house clean, shuffling back and forth to all the places, budgeting for presents and holiday shopping, maintain your fitness and health goals, deal with inevitably you or your family (or both) being sick at some point; and try to just keep your head above water. 

Anybody else relate? My to do list is usually so overwhelming that I stop keeping one and just turn on autopilot until January. Then I get to January burnt out, emotionally drained, and physically beat down from not taking care of myself and focusing on the wrong things. 

Don’t get me wrong, all the things I listed are important bullet points on the holiday to do list and I’m not saying you should knock any off just yet. What I HAVE found; and what I am BEGINNING to learn, is that the holidays are (as we all know) about being thankful for our families and for God. We are meant to be focusing on those things. So while just realistically there will be stress. I have found that it is so much better for everyone when I focus on the WHY of the season. 

Maintaining your health and fitness. 👈🏼 important. Not so you can look good in the holiday dress. But so you feel good, get sick less, and have energy for everything you’re doing! A 3 month sugar binge is not going to keep you fueled and happy. Make good choices when you can, enjoy yourself at events, and remember your WHY. 

Budgeting/holiday shopping 🛍 👈🏼 I love shopping for people and finding their perfect gifts! But my WHY is to let the people in my life know how special they are to me. But you should NOT let gift giving stress you out or empty your accounts. Set your budgets and work within them. Even if that means you don’t do physical gifts. Give the gift of time or service. 🙌🏼

Being sick 🤒 this, at least for our family is inevitable. But in our house we take sickness like a rainy day and just get through it. At the first sight of sickness we buckle down, the person exhibiting signs of sickness immediately gets lots and lots of rest and fluids, we diffuse oils in our house, disinfect; and we take medicine like clock work. Don’t let sickness put you on the couch for days. Do what you have to do to get better. 

Most importantly, don’t let your personal care slack off. Take your bubble baths, do your Bible study, bake; whatever it is that helps you get recharged. Keep your focus! I am right there with you momma. We’re all walking through the holiday seasons together and I see you, tired momma; you got this!

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