Holidays: I Will Survive

I heard "I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor this morning on the radio, and I couldn't help but think she was singing to me about this coming weekend. Now I know this song is about surviving break-up but I heard it as I will survive this holiday season! This is my favorite time of year. I love giving gifts. I love the hunt for the perfect gift. I love the look on someone's face when they open the gift and it's exactly what they wanted. I love the music and the lights. I love attending Christmas Eve service either at mine or my husband's hometown church. I love decorating the house, sitting by the "fireplace" and reading Christmas books to my kids. Now to the part of the holiday season that makes me want to curl up in my ultra plush sherpa throw and not leave my couch for 3 days. The logisitics. Our families live about an hour from us and 20 minutes apart from each other. This allows us to pretty much make it to every gathering that is held around Christmas. This also makes it possible to travel between the two places in a days span, but that means packing everyone up and moving them from one location to the next and back again. This means watching the clock to make sure we stay on schedule. Who wants to be on a schedule during their Christmas break? This means being somewhere but mentally not really being there because you are thinking about the next place you need to be. My anxiety gets the best of me and I start stressing days in advance. I start worrying if I spent enough money on each of the kids or our siblings. The gifts that I felt confident about when I bought them suddenly don't seem like enough. I worry, "Should we have bought something for our neighbors, our daycare providers, our co-workers?" If someone bought me a gift, I need to return the gesture, but our bank account is telling me to stop spending, for the love of all things good, STOP SPENDING!

And you know what, when it's all said and done, everything is wonderful. Every year, it's a beautiful time spent with family and memories are made that we talk about for years. Every. Time. So, this year, I'm taking a different approach. Instead of pulling all-nighters to get the gifts wrapped perfectly or staying out to all hours doing last-minute shopping, I am going to get my sleep. I am going to get my 8 hours every night. I am going to breathe deeply, and I am going to practice all the self-care techniques I've learned this year. I am going to go to yoga and clear my mind of all the non-sense chatter. I am going to enjoy every minute of this wonderful weekend. I am going to be present for my family and for myself. I always have my meditation app with me so during the craziness of travel and being away from home, I can continue a little of my routine with meditation and yoga. A quick 5 minute guided meditation can make a huge difference during the excess of stimulation.

I've learned also that as much as I love the food and treats and drinks of the holidays, I cannot over-indulge or I will feel terrible about myself. The solution to this problem is two-fold. 1. I need to allow myself to indulge a little, knowing that come Tuesday morning, I will be back to a normal schedule. Normal eating and normal exercise. 2. I need to keep in mind to enjoy in moderation. Enjoy that ONE peanut butter star cookie. Take my time to really enjoy it. Enjoy that flavorful holiday beer (I recommend Nebraska Brewing Company's Red Sled, it's Christmas in a glass!). Savor and enjoy. Be mindful of what I'm eating. Too many times I find myself standing at the island, mindlessly snacking away only to feel horrible in an hour or two because I've eaten too much. So, indulge, but only a little!

I have a plan in place that will help me to stay sane and enjoy all the wonderful events going on this weekend. This is the best gift I can give myself. Breathe, let it be.

-S