Top 25 self-care tips for the festive season

The festive season is well and truly upon us! It is magical time of year fun of social connections, and busy-ness. As the to do list gets longer, there are more social events to attend and family traditions to uphold, it is so important to remember to look after yourself as well as everyone else this festive season. This time of year can heighten feelings of stress, fear and worry as well as excitement, joy, and fun. We need to take a breath every now and again and bring an awareness to what we are feeling. What thoughts pop into our heads, what thoughts are we trying to avoid, what emotions do these thoughts trigger and how do they manifest into behaviours (that in some cases do not support our wellness).

Here are Aisling’s top 25 self-care strategies for keeping you well this festive season:

1. Hydrate - Stay hydrated. Not with cocktails and festive tipples, actual real hydration. This will be one of the simplest but most impactful strategies you can do to maintain balance. Drink your water every day, I would even go as far as to say take your hydration up a notch. Get in some herbal teas, sparkling water with some fresh flavours, warm water and lemon in the morning, a matcha tea, whatever you can do, do it to stay hydrated this festive season.

2. Move - Every day move. Whether it’s dark, rainy, cold, or you’re too busy, commit now and move. Set your tracker to a realistic goal. This might mean you were doing 10,000 steps per day due to the summer but now, recalibrate. Set yourself a new goal, a realistic and achievable one and just get out and get it done. Remember you do not have to hit your steps all in one go, you can tick away at getting them done throughout the day.

3. Perspective - The pressure and the expectation of Christmas and all that it brings can lead to overwhelming feelings and even burnout before the “big day” ever arrives. Bring a little perspective to each situation to begins to cause you stress. What is the worst that can happen? In most cases it is not that bad, and we overthink and worry about the opinions of people who do not really know us or know how our world works. STOP - ask yourself does their fleeting opinion really matters? And in most cases, you will find the answer is no, so try not to stress about it.

4. Let go of the perfectionist mindset - Every Hallmark movie out there has conditioned us to believe Christmas should look and feel a certain way - a perfect way. Every human and every household is different. Do what is important to do, do your best, be happy and make memories and let the rest go.

5. Sit alone with yourself - Give yourself peace and calm and quiet to allow yourself to process all the busy and fun and stress and chaos. Sit in a quiet calm space alone and just observe the thoughts and feelings that arise.

6. Dance - Dance like no one is watching, shake it off, move your body and have fun. Dancing is such a fun way to connect, to have fun, to release stress, to keep your body moving, to get your steps in and to keep you away from the bar and the party food. Dance, dancing in your living room, dance as you get ready, dance at the party, and dance all the way home.

7. Get enough sleep - Disruption to your sleep routine and a lack of sleep can play havoc with wellness, your decision making and your coping skills. Set a bedtime reminder on your phone and stick to a reasonable bed time during the week and weekend.

8. Keep a journal - Get down everything and anything from your to-do list to things you are grateful for. By getting the thoughts out of your head and on to a page it can help us to de-stress and be more organized. It can help you to accomplish what you need to and gain perspective on the rest. This strategy will actively encourage and support a positive mindset.

9. Make a new music and podcast playlist - This can be such a mood enhancer as well as a motivation to get things done and to encourage you to get out and move.

10. Digital Detox - I know we all hear this all the time but really do it, just for the month. Between the hours of 6pm - 8pm each evening just hit airplane mode and do something valuable, enjoyable, and productive.

11. Make a to do list and cross things off and you complete them. Sometimes the thoughts of endless tasks can be what overwhelms us more than that actual task. Take a moment to relax and refocus after you tick each one off.

12. Schedule relaxation time -As time becomes more precious with more and more expectations and social occasions popping up it can be difficult to catch a moment. Book time in your calendar for you to just relax and rejuvenate.

13. Remember, and this too shall pass…all the madness and expectation and fun will soon pass, so savour all the good parts of festive season and have a little perspective on this rest.

14. Say no, it is ok to opt out, to say no, to not do everything you had in the calendar and on the to do list. Prioritise the things that matter most and let go off some of the rest.

15. Awareness is key - Did you know on average each “rose,” “hero” and “celebration sweet” had between 50-80 calories (about 6 minutes of running). Each one. Think about how much you really want them. If you love one, pick your favourite, have one, savour it and move on.

16. Notice the beauty of Winter - Take a few moments in nature each day to really notice nature… is there silence in the air, what do you smell, what are your surrounded by? What are the smells and aromas of winter?

17. Discernment is key - The festive season is a time for indulgence, but it is important to moderate indulgence. Yes, have all the deliciousness that is synonymous with the season but apply a degree of discernment. Quality over quantity - there is so much temptation. Choose the foods you love, make room for the special treats and savour them and skip anything that is not worth the sugar crash, extra calories, or food coma.

18. Go for a walk in nature - Research shows that being in nature can increase energy levels, reduce depression, and boost overall well-being. Take 30 minutes to walk outside and engage all your senses with your surroundings.

19. All or nothing mindset -Abandon this thought process. If you make some decisions and choices that do not best support your wellness, then just pause. What is done is done. Reset and just do the next right thing you can to support your wellness.

20. Watch your favourite movie - And by that, I mean - just watch your favourite movie, put your phone, laptop and the ironing away. Just rest and relax, immerse yourself in the experience and savour the moment. Share the experience with someone who loves movies too.

21. Breathwork - Practice some simple breathing exercises that can help you in those moments of panic, stress or overwhelm. A really simple one is box breathing - breath in for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, breathe out for 4 seconds and hold that exhale for another 4 seconds. Repeat this for up to 1 minute and feel the positive effects.

22. Do a clear out - Take some time to declutter your space, create room for the new gifts that are coming your way and feel the peace of an organised space.

23. Explore the wonders of Christmas - The lights and decorations all around you. Immerse yourself in the buzz, warmth and vibrancy that lives in our towns and villages around this festive time.

24. Find reasons to laugh… laughing helps to rewire the thought processes in our brain, it can help us release pent us stress and a good laugh will always lift your spirits. Laugh!

25. Gratitude - Be grateful for all that you have, this moment is good, yes it could be better, but for sure it could be a hell of a lot worse...Be grateful for all that you have.