Don't Forget the "Me" in Merry
Dec 20, 2021 ● By The Hood Magazine
Remember as a child the week of Christmas being an absolute blast? School was winding down, holiday break was on the horizon, and you almost always knew it was going to a fun-filled exciting week in anticipation for Christmas.
As adults, we now know this week is not quite as magical as our adolescent minds made it out to be. Last minute gifts to buy, presents to wrap, house to clean, food to prepare and everything else on the list makes this week almost unbearable at times.
Even though we are not children anymore, and we know that the to-do list isn't going to check itself off, you don't have to let the stress of it all take away your joy.
Taking care of YOU has to be a priority. After all we can't be merry without "me".
Classic Hallmark movies make for great Christmas traditions, but I believe we are all aware they are not the reality that most of us face The reality is that many families find this time of year to be stressful for various reasons.
If you are finding yourself feeling less-than-merry this week, try to incorporate some of these tips into your schedule.
1. Set aside 10 minutes of a self-care activity. Take a quiet walk, exercise, lock your self in a room and crank some music. Think of it as an adult time out. As adults we can't wait for someone to give us a time-out, so go ahead schedule your own time-out whenever you need it.
2. Think back to your childhood and what you loved about this week. Embrace that moment. Whether it was playing a game in front of the Christmas tree, watching a Christmas movie or snacking on your favorite goodie. Give yourself the grace you deserve and receate that moment. Yes, that might mean you won't get to that 3rd load of laundry, but that is OK!
3. Journal. If you don't practice Journaling now, consider giving it a try. There are many amazing great gratitude journals out there with incredible promts. Sometimes writing down your emotions and seeing them on paper, helps you to shift your focus from "I have so much to do" to "I have so much to be grateful for".
4. Cut corners. Take a look at your list. Find where there are ways to cut some corners. Does every present have to be perfectly wrapped? Or will that person enjoy thay gift just as much coming from a simple gift bag or festive gift box? Does your family really need homemade cinnamon rolls in the morning? Or will memories still be made even if enjoying something store bought. This can be a hard one, because we all enjoy traditions, and often find guilt in not recreating them year after year. But sometimes traditions need to be tweaked to better fit our lives. And most of the time, no matter what you do, your children are still going to love it.
So as we begin what is undoubtedly the busiest week of the year in our parenthood lives, take time for you
As adults, we now know this week is not quite as magical as our adolescent minds made it out to be. Last minute gifts to buy, presents to wrap, house to clean, food to prepare and everything else on the list makes this week almost unbearable at times.
Even though we are not children anymore, and we know that the to-do list isn't going to check itself off, you don't have to let the stress of it all take away your joy.
Taking care of YOU has to be a priority. After all we can't be merry without "me".
Classic Hallmark movies make for great Christmas traditions, but I believe we are all aware they are not the reality that most of us face The reality is that many families find this time of year to be stressful for various reasons.
If you are finding yourself feeling less-than-merry this week, try to incorporate some of these tips into your schedule.
1. Set aside 10 minutes of a self-care activity. Take a quiet walk, exercise, lock your self in a room and crank some music. Think of it as an adult time out. As adults we can't wait for someone to give us a time-out, so go ahead schedule your own time-out whenever you need it.
2. Think back to your childhood and what you loved about this week. Embrace that moment. Whether it was playing a game in front of the Christmas tree, watching a Christmas movie or snacking on your favorite goodie. Give yourself the grace you deserve and receate that moment. Yes, that might mean you won't get to that 3rd load of laundry, but that is OK!
3. Journal. If you don't practice Journaling now, consider giving it a try. There are many amazing great gratitude journals out there with incredible promts. Sometimes writing down your emotions and seeing them on paper, helps you to shift your focus from "I have so much to do" to "I have so much to be grateful for".
4. Cut corners. Take a look at your list. Find where there are ways to cut some corners. Does every present have to be perfectly wrapped? Or will that person enjoy thay gift just as much coming from a simple gift bag or festive gift box? Does your family really need homemade cinnamon rolls in the morning? Or will memories still be made even if enjoying something store bought. This can be a hard one, because we all enjoy traditions, and often find guilt in not recreating them year after year. But sometimes traditions need to be tweaked to better fit our lives. And most of the time, no matter what you do, your children are still going to love it.
So as we begin what is undoubtedly the busiest week of the year in our parenthood lives, take time for you