self-care

I struggle with self-care sometimes. It's a work in progress for me.

I'm saying that honestly. It's something I've been working on the past couple months. It's important to take care of yourself because if you're struggling with something, the people around you can sense it and struggle too. That's especially true during the holiday season.

WAYS TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF DURING THE HOLIDAYS

•Take everything one day at a time. You don't have to overwhelm yourself with impossible lists. Just slow things down and focus on one thing at a time.

•Make time for a haircut. Not everyone can afford it during this time but I feel like it's important and makes you feel prepared to see family you haven't seen all year.

•Unplug. No seriously. Unplug. Social media can be an energy drain and when you're struggling, you need that break to recharge your batteries. Trust me. It's worth it.

•Write. Vent. See a counselor. If this time of the year is hard for you, it's important to take care of your head. This is coming from a place of love you guys. It's important to get some of that holiday frustration out and I'm a firm believer in not taking that out on your loved ones.

•Make sure you can afford it. Budget during the holidays. Make a budget list. Do something to ease that holiday stress. Something my family did was save their points for a local grocery store for a whole year and redeem all of them at Christmas to ease the grocery bill for that month. It was about $500 worth of food. That saved my mom's butt financially. I tend to start buying gifts for everyone in September to make things easier for myself over the holiday season. You gotta do what works for you but randomly spending isn't good for you either.

•Meditate. This is something I've been trying to do daily. I find this so helpful when it comes to destressing. Find a 10 minute meditation on YouTube and just go with it. Clear your mind for a little while during this busy season.

•Treat yourself. You're focused so much on the people you love that you need to remember you're important too. If you feel like you can't afford it, just find something small. Something as simple as a special holiday coffee or a treat can really boost your happiness levels during this stressful time of the year.

•If you're off work or school, or even taking care of the kids during the school break- stick to your routine. Trust me, it's worth it.

•Take a walk. Even just a short one. Maintaining your physical health is important for your mental health. Spend some time in the fresh air instead of cooping yourself up inside the house.

•If you find there are "too many" holiday events happening, then cancel. You don't have to attend every single event. You have a right to your time and you're allowed to say no. I know it seems hard or like you're going to let someone down, but time is so precious.

•Basic self care like a nap or a long bubble bath can go a long way during this time of the year. Recharge your batteries and take some time for yourself.

•Practice gratitude. I created a list of things that I'm thankful for this Christmas which you can check out down below. I find practicing gratitude can go a long way with your daily life.

•Give. Donate to the food bank. Gift something to someone without any intention of getting something back. Just do it because it feels good and it could help brighten someone's holiday cheer which will then spill onto others.

That's all I have for a holiday self-care list. What do you think belongs on this list? How do you like to take care of yourself during the holidays?

Let me know in the comments below!

Stay safe this Christmas. ❤️

Chloe Rose Violet 🌹