Money & Finance

HEALTH & WELLNESS

YOUR BEST SELF

Fall is here, it’s leaf peeping season, the nights are drawing in and thoughts are turning towards the holidays. Pumpkin spice lattes are upon us – like it or not – and shortly thereafter a string of festive occasions requiring costumes, gifts, food, drinks, planning, invites…. And breathe!

Maybe you are someone who relishes the opportunity to host expansive family dinners, who loves the social interaction, the fanfare and Hallmark movies. Or maybe as soon as those leaves start to turn, you feel a sense of panic that here comes the season of chaos and an abundance of socializing. 2020 Was a tough year for traditional gettogethers and while 2021 is far from ‘back to normal’ (whatever normal looks like these days), many of us will be back to some degree of festive celebrations this year.

When writing about health and wellness and the holidays, the go-to subject is usually how to tackle the inevitable increase in food and alcohol intake without undoing all of your healthy eating habits and efforts in the gym. But there is another aspect to making the most out of this time of year that often gets overlooked, rising stress levels and mental health. How do you get through the holiday season without feeling frazzled by the aforementioned socializing, planning and creative demands?

If you are a master-of-planning, the type of person who has a “fail to plan, plan to fail” sign hanging above your desk, this is your moment to shine! For everyone else, here are some top tips to help you through the holiday season without doubling your cortisol levels:

1. Remember to try to find the fun in any given situation.

Yes, there is a lot of work involved when hosting an event, but the importance of being playful should not be overlooked. Connect with your inner child and seek joy in simple things. 2. If you are traditionally a last-minute kind of planner who usually ends up highly stressed, start thinking about your holiday season now. Make a holiday calendar, write down dates and times of party invites you plan to attend or host, then look at what you may need to buy or prepare for each event and create lists.

Prioritize those lists then tackle one at a time. 3. Create a budget if you need to. How much can you afford / do you want to spend on a Halloween costume, on food for Thanksgiving, or on gifts? You can write the budget on your lists from point 2 so you know what you are comfortable spending. A huge source of stress at this time of year is the financial aspect, so if you can stick to a budget, it is easier to enjoy the holiday season. 4. Be OK with saying no! You don’t have to attend absolutely every holiday event, there is nothing wrong with being selective and making the most out of the events you plan to attend. 5. Ask for help. When you are planning your event, think about who is around that can help and assign them specific tasks. Just asking for general help can lead to enthusiastic volunteers looking a little lost, but give them a designated task and your workload will decrease. 6. Prioritize taking good care of yourself, eating healthy food and getting plenty of sleep. This is, above and beyond, the best way to keep up the stamina to enjoy the holiday season! Hopefully, the holiday season will be filled with fun and provide the chance to catch up with those you may not have been able to see during the pandemic. Human connection is important to all of us and something many of us have missed recently, so try to focus this year’s holiday celebrations on just that, creating special moments with those you love.