Your Official Holiday Recovery Plan

If you’re reading this blog, I know you’re one of my people. And because I know that, I’m confident in saying that this time of year might be a liiiiiiiitle bit hectic for you.

You’re making a list. You’re checking it twice. And then you check it again, just in case you missed something. And then again because you just remembered something that jumped into your brain as you were falling asleep last night. And maybe you should count how many of the things on your list still need to be done. Or maybe you should organize the list alphabetically. No wait, by order of importance! And…

Haha, yeap, that's how quickly our minds start to spiral. Even recovering perfectionists like us can sometimes get carried away! No judgment. No shame. Just awareness so we can course-correct and pop out of those unnecessary loops that can drain our joy.

And you know what? I’ll bet your holidays will be magical. You’ll soak up all the warmth and joy and create heartwarming memories with your loved ones.

I’m not here to give you advice on how to make that happen. I’m here to make sure that you don’t get so caught up in the busyness of making the holidays merry and bright that you neglect yourself in the process.

Let’s not wait until the holiday season is over to “catch up” either. Here are three simple strategies for building recovery time into your holiday schedule without feeling like you’re missing out!

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Schedule time for a digital detox.

Is it me, or are we even more attached to our phones around this time of year? We’re doing last-minute shopping, looking up recipes, RSVPing to holiday parties, snapping pics of twinkly lights, scrolling through photos of friends and family gathered together in front of the fireplace. And that’s on top of all the other things that keep us glued to our phones the rest of the year.

It’s a lot. So let’s unplug a bit.

If you can schedule an entire day without your phone, do it!! I promise you won't regret it.

If not, it’s okay—plan a mini detox instead! Set a time each day—maybe 5:00 p.m.—where you’re going to set down your phone for the night. Or maybe commit to starting your day without your phone—don’t check it until noon.

Literally choose whatever works best for you.

Just take a break and give yourself the space you need to decompress from your devices.

Eat what you want and what you need.

You know your girl here could eat an entire apple pie all by herself. And if you put a pumpkin pie in front of me? Yeap, I’ll demolish that too. I own it.

So I’m not here to tell you that you need to say no to holiday treats. I want you to indulge in all of those deliciously delectable holiday dishes. In fact, I fully support it.

You want a slice of pumpkin pie for breakfast? Do it!

You want a second helping of homemade mac 'n cheese? Go for it!

You want to dunk that sugar cookie in a mug of hot cocoa? Tell me what time I need to be there to join you!

But along with all of those delicious dishes, be sure to incorporate nutritious food, too. Be mindful about including fruits, veggies, and protein throughout your day to give your body the proper fuel it needs to thrive.

The good thing is, when you eat what you want and what you need, you’re still getting all of those holiday goodies, which satisfies your cravings and minimizes temptations. We don’t want to spend the entire holiday season stewing over food that we’ve decided we can’t have, right? That sounds like no fun at all.

But if you’re also bringing in the good foods your body needs and you’re drinking water, you’re going to feel satisfied and full most of the day. You’re not going to have enough room to fill yourself up entirely with sugary treats. Just a little bit of balance goes a long way.

Create space for alone time.

I love that there are so many reasons for us to get together during this season. It warms my heart, and I never take it for granted. So I want you to say yes to gatherings because it feels so good to be with the people we love.

But you will need a break. We need to rest. We need time to reflect and be alone. We don’t have to do it all.

If you need to go shopping, maybe try to get it done in a single day rather than spreading it out over the whole week—that way you’ve freed up space to relax. Now instead of rushing around all week, you’ve got some time to hang out in your pjs and watch Hallmark Christmas movies all day. (That is my whole jam. You can bank on the fact that I’ll be doing exactly this at least once this month.)

Go to the party, but set yourself an exit time. Walk in with the mindset that you’ve got an hour to dedicate to everyone else, which means you’ll also have time to dedicate an hour to yourself when you get home.

If your house is bursting with visitors, go outside, let the sun shine on your face, and get some vitamin D. (YES, even if it’s cold outside!) In some parts of the world, we’re headed into a lot of gray days, so we have to be even more intentional about getting outside on those sunny days when we can.

Our brains and bodies need recovery time. We shouldn’t wait until the end of the year to do it, but we also shouldn’t make the holiday season so non-stop that we don’t use it as an opportunity to recover from what has been a busy year.

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While you’re out there spreading cheer, make sure you’re also turning some of that love inward as well, my friend.

Wishing you a season of joy, peace, and growth!

big hugs,

Karen