As we approach the holiday season and the end of another unsettled and challenging year many of us are feeling tired and looking forward to the seasonal break. Some may be feeling more than tired, you may feel depleted. Whether you’re a team member, leader, solopreneur, parent, carer or a combination of these and other roles we all share one thing; the need to look after ourselves.
“You can’t pour from an empty cup”
You’ll have probably heard this saying before and it is true. For us to effectively take care of others, we must take care of ourselves.
Yet, it is not always easy to think about ourselves, especially at busy times when there’s so much going on. So, to help you think about how to replenish yourself and fill your cup we’ve put together some wellbeing tips that will help you to THRIVE through the holiday season.
is for Take Notice
Paying attention to your physical, mental and emotional capacity will enable you to recognise when you need to pause for a moment and recentre yourself.
Your body may be aching, your emotions could be highly charged or you’re behaving in a way that suggests you’re feeling overwhelmed and not in control.
What are those signs for you? What can you do to help you avoid getting to that point?
Take notice of your surroundings. Try to find a piece of nature and notice what is happening. That could be the view out of your window, a walk in your local neighbourhood or in your garden if you have one. A single leaf or flower is a piece of nature that you can explore and take notice of.
Another way to take notice is to be present. Think only about the here and now. You may have some time over the holidays to relax and not have such a strict timetable. Embrace this change of pace, relax into the moment and enjoy it.
is for Healthy Lifestyle
A healthy lifestyle is a great way to support physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. Here are just four things you may want to consider;
Hydration – Water, not the Christmas Sherry! To work properly your body needs fluids and to avoid dehydration the NHS website says that in the UK we should drink about 6-8 glasses of fluid a day.
Nutrition – A balanced diet. This can be easy to forget at this time of year. While it’s great to enjoy a festive treat try to do it in moderation. Remember the T from take notice and when you start to feel full or uncomfortable from a little too much rich food take action.
Exercise – We should aim to do thirty minutes of moderate exercise five times a week. It doesn’t have to be a session at the gym or in a fitness class. A brisk walk is ideal and at this time of year you can wrap up warm and enjoy your surroundings and some fresh air.
Habits – Everyone has habits and some are healthier than others. Think about what your habits are and how you might be able to reduce unhealthy habits and introduce more healthy ones.
is for Rest and Reflect
The holiday season can be an opportunity to relax a little more. The usual schedule goes out of the window and you may even forget what day of the week it is
That’s great, it means that you are really switching off. Enjoy it, catch up on your sleep. If you feel like taking a nap, take one! Embrace the time to recover from another unsettled year.
This season is often a time for reflection and planning for the new year. Take the time to reflect on the year that you have had. What will you leave behind in 2022 and what will you take with you into 2023?
is for being Individual
You’ve started to reflect. Great! Use this time to think about your goals for 2023. What are your personal, professional and business goals?
Write them down and plan for how you will achieve them, getting into the detail so you know where you are heading for the year ahead.
Include your interests such as a hobby or challenge that you want to take up or spend more time on. Find something that is for you and include a goal for you to achieve it.
Remember to be authentic and true to yourself. Trying to please others will lead to feelings of resentment and could, ultimately, affect your wellbeing.
Whatever you are doing make sure that it aligns to your values. When we aren’t aligned to our values it can cause discomfort and can affect our wellbeing.
is for Value
It can be easy to forget the small things that bring us joy; a beautiful sunset, a kind word from a neighbour, a thank you from your boss or a client.
It’s the small things that make the difference. Valuing the small things and adopting an attitude of gratitude will help to improve your wellbeing.
Consider incorporating a daily gratitude practice in to your life and how you might like to do this. Examples of gratitude practice include free flow journalling for 10 minutes every day capturing the things your are grateful for and thinking about 3 things you’re grateful for as soon as you wake up and just before you go to sleep.
Think about what’s important to you and make sure you show appreciation for it. Is it a colleague that always makes you laugh? Is it your partner who makes you a cup of tea in the morning? Is it your dog that brings you daily joy? Whatever it is value it.
is for Enjoy
Quite simply, we all make choices and whatever those choices are make sure you enjoy them. If you don’ t enjoy them, maybe it’s time to make a change.
Hopefully you’ve got some thoughts about how you can THRIVE through the holiday season, taking care of yourself. Remember that even the tiniest of action towards your self-care and wellbeing will stand you in good stead as you recover from the past year and refresh yourself for going into 2023.
The Thrive Team would like to wish you all a happy holiday season and every success for 2023.
