Do you notice as the holidays sneak up, you feel busier than ever and can't seem to take a breath?
I know how you feel...
The holidays are a wonderful time of cooler weather (depending where you live), lots of family and parties and hopefully a good dose of thankfulness for the life you have.
But, it can be hard to balance all things happening without feeling a little crazy. At least that's the case for me!
Here are my top 5 tips for having a [less] stressful holiday season.
1. Realize you can't please everyone, so don't try to!
With so many party invitations, events and other commitments it can be so easy to be spread thin. But, you can't make everyone happy and you probably don't have time to say yes to every engagement.
- Start telling people you have to check your calendar when they ask if you're able to attend their function instead of just saying 'sure'! It will give you a chance to think about if that's something you actually want to attend before you decide.
- It's okay to not want to go! Tell them you have another commitment, but maybe don't tell them it's just a date with your couch. Whatever the reason for skipping, don't feel bad about it.
- You can't be present if you haven't taken time to take care of yourself!
2. Wear comfy / stretchy clothing that makes you feel good!
There's really no point in looking 'cute' if you feel like you're being strangled by your clothing! Embrace your body the way it is and wear clothing that not only fits, but that you can move around in.
- Try wearing stretchy jeans and dresses that hug but don't cut into my stomach or even yoga pants! There are plenty of options for clothes that are comfy that still have you looking polished and sophisticated. But, if you want to look like you just came from yoga, that's cool too!
- There's a lot of pressure in our culture to look or dress a certain way but with all the eating and festivities, if you're uncomfortable, you're not going to have any fun!
3. Get your blood flowing a little.
Have you ever had a busy season in your life and the first thing to go is exercise? But then you feel a bit crappy (and crabby) and are not sure why? Exercise produces endorphins and makes you feel good! It's not really about how your body looks, but about how you feel!
- Try taking a walk with your family, or turn on the tunes and have a dance party before dinner. Getting moving can change your mood and make you hungry for another slice of pie!
4. Talk to yourself as if you were a dear friend.
Have you ever been somewhere and thought to yourself how you wish you had her dress, her body, her fill-in-the-blank. Be honest with me.
Self talk can sometimes be cruel and unfair because you would never compare your dear friends like that, so why do you do it to yourself?
- Take a step back from the situation to realize that you're capable and beautiful as you are. The things that you see as imperfections are actually what make you special.
- Practice flipping that self talk around and instead of comparing and picking yourself apart, can you stand in the mirror and tell yourself why you're awesome?
- Start with something small and try it! I guarantee it will feel a little strange at first but will get normal with time. Pretty soon you'll find you feel awesome more often!
5. Think about what you're buying and where it comes from.
The holidays can be a time of excess and lots of purchases. It's great to buy things for your loved ones and friends; and yourself, of course! But, our planet is being harmed by so much plastic being thrown away and huge companies using up precious resources.
- Think about if your loved one will actually get good use out of the item your giving them. Will they appreciate it?
- Take that even farther and think about who made it so you can choose to support businesses that treat their workers fairly. Support business that contribute to your local economy and have eco-friendly practices.
- Shop from artists, women, people of color and small businesses. You vote with your dollars.
--------------------
I choose to buy all of my gifts from fellow artists because I know that I'm supporting a dream and even better, I know I will be getting a quality product that represents the values I have.
How will you choose to shop and take care of yourself this holiday season? Let me know in the comments below!
xo Twyla
If you'd like to gift your loved ones with beautifully crafted, gorgeous jewelry made by our all woman team in Seattle shop the collection here.
Plus, take 10% off your first order when you become a Twyla Dill VIP below!
