Fill Your Cup For The Holidays
With the holiday season officially taking over our lives, I want to remind you of one thing:
It is okay to put yourself at the top of you to-do list.
I get it, grandma needs help with making the pies.
Your cousin needs to be picked up from the airport.
You need to complete your Christmas shopping for your family.
You need to prep and cook to host the gatherings this year.
You have numerous holiday parties for work.
The entire month of December feels like a never ending cycle of adding things to you to-do list, attending gatherings or events and spending more time with others than we would like some days.
No wonder, it is so easy to put ourselves last when everyone and everything else in our life feels like it is demanding to be first.
I want you to repeat this to yourself, "I can't pour from an empty cup."
Would you expect your car to drive 3,000 miles without stopping for gas? No.
So why should we expect ourselves to juggle 3,000 things without stopping to fill up our own gas (or cup).
You simply cannot expect your mind and body to keep running without being given time to rest and recharge!
The unfortunate truth is that many individuals wait until their cup is empty before they actually do something to fill it. We need to STOP this habit! Instead of using self care as a REACTION to feeling overwhelmed and burnt out, use it as a way to PREVENT feeling overwhelmed & burnt out.
So, how can we manage our cups a little better?
Here are my top 3 tips for you this holiday season (& throughout every other season of life too!):
1) Cup Checks!
We check in with everyone else but ourselves. Begin incorporating a cup check activity or habit each day for you to maintain a well balanced cup instead of waiting till the cup is empty every time. You can do this through: morning coffee, spending time away from your phone/people, journaling every morning, reading before bed, taking a bubble bath, going for a walk or even spending time cuddling with your dog on the couch. There is no one size fits all, find the things that fill your own cup and no one else's!
2) MAKE the Time for Yourself.
Another favorite quote of mine is, "you will never find the time for anything. If you want time, you must make it." At the end of the day, YOU are in full control of where you expend your time/energy and to whom you give it to. Be intentional with making time for yourself. Substitute your social media scrolling for time that you can be present with yourself. One way you can do this is through setting time blocks in your schedule. Take your daily planner or online journal (I enjoy using my google calendar!) and block your time throughout the day. This is where you will write in work calls, errands, appointments, etc. But while you are doing this, I want you to set a time for YOU. For myself personally, I will schedule my daily walks and/or workouts within my schedule - then I treat these things on the same level of importance as I would a doctor's appointment or work deadline. Switch your mentality from making self care optional/flexible in your schedule to making it a non-negotiable!
3) Set & Respect your Boundaries!
Setting boundaries starts with YOU. If you cannot respect your own boundaries, how can you expect others to respect them too? Before spreading yourself too thin and burning out, be wise with where you expend your energy. If answering a friend's call after work is going to set you back on your tasks, don't answer. If attending that event is going to make you feel overwhelmed, don't attend. If your family brings up a triggering event, ask them to change the subject. You HAVE to advocate for yourself because no one else will - especially during the holidays! Set boundaries, recognize when you feel like you are being spread too thin and respect those boundaries. You are not selfish for needing boundaries. Boundaries are HEALTHY and incredibly important throughout any season of life.
During this holiday season, I challenge you to adopt these 3 tips into your lifestyle. Give yourself the same time and attention that you give to everyone else in your life. You cannot show up for others if you are barely showing up for yourself - believe me, I have had to learn this lesson one too many times.
Burn out and poor boundaries are NOT sustainable and the sooner you work to manage your own cup, the more useful you will be for those around you!
I hope you all have a wonderful and safe holiday season! Show up for yourselves & be present with your own mental, emotional and physical needs.
Coach Krys
