Self Care

The holiday season is among us and unfortunately, so is the stress. The holidays are supposed to be filled with friends, family, good vibes, and cheer. Unfortunately the days leading up to them seem to be filled with traffic, long lines, cold weather, and stress.

We live in a world of pushed notifications and instant gratification. When we have to wait in traffic, or a line at the grocery store, we tend to become immediately impatient. We are in a rush to get from one place to the next and our minds are spinning out of control with the mental load of our invisible labor. Pick up kids at 5, dinner is at 630, answer that work email, put the laundry in the dryer, make the dog’s vet appointment, send the evite for the holiday party, check homework, wrap gifts…..

Mental stress can have huge negative impacts on our health. Headaches, dizziness, muscle tension and pain are a few examples of more manageable symptoms but the effect of stress on the body can escalate to scarier health scenarios. Stress can lead to high blood pressure, increased risk of a stroke or heart attack, depression, and anxiety. Because stress is such a contributing factor to these health concerns, it is of utmost importance to take the steps to mitigate those symptoms, or better yet, the stress itself.

Now, we cannot simply ignore our to-do lists, life goes on and things need to get done. However, we can turn the tables and take back control with self-care. Self-care can look different to all of us, but it has same meaning; giving back to ourselves to protect our wellbeing and happiness. All too often, we take care of everyone around us, BUT us. I often use the airplane oxygen mask analogy. There’s a reason they want you to put it on yourself first. If you do not take care of yourself, how will you be able to care for someone else? This concept should be applied to life in general, not just an airplane. If you cannot remember the last time you did something for yourself, it’s time to put on your oxygen mask (figuratively speaking). The first step is to ask what self-care looks like to you. It could be curing up with a good book, getting massage, going for a walk, strength training, meditating, breath work, etc. These things really do make a difference. The beauty of self-care is that you get to choose what works for you. The hard part is carving out the time, so start small with things that don’t require a lot of your time like practicing mindfulness, download a meditation ap, or focus on slow deep breathing when you are in traffic. This holiday season, put yourself at the top of the list and find your version of an oxygen mask. Carve out the time! It’s not selfish, it’s self-care.