Ellavate the Holidays
Hello beautiful people! It’s the most wonderful time of the year and I want to share a few things to make it even more incredible. I want you all to visualize your best holiday season and work to create that. The shopping adventures and gingerbread making competitions you see in holiday movies are all possible to recreate, but you first need to understand what it is that you are wanting. Not everything you want is going to be attainable or realistic, but some things are and you control if they become a reality or stay in your dreams.
Something I have been trying to emulate in my life is “going for it.” Trying new things, taking chances, and having fun. We have limited time here and we need to make the most of it. Time management is pivotal in being able to “go for it” because while we want to prioritize having fun, we also need to get work done. We can a lot a certain amount of time to getting our tasks done and other time to truly live life. I think we often fall into this crazy work horse mentality where we think we need to work all the time and never enjoy, but do you live to work or work to live. Work can feel rewarding, but I don’t believe I am on this planet for the sole purpose of work and neither are you. We are meant to enjoy and laugh and indulge. I recently saw a post from a doctor who was sharing regrets older people had as they were dying.
“I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life other’s expected of me.” Throughout this holiday season (and life in general) be true to yourself. Follow your heart and live how you want to live. Stop caring about what other people think or how you look from an outside perspective. If you are happy and content, that is what matters.
“I wish I hadn’t worked so hard.” Many people expressed this as they felt they missed out on the true meaning of life: spending time with loved ones, following passions, filling up their cup. Working hard is an amazing thing, but try and notice if work continues to steal the spotlight from fun all the time.
“I wish that I let myself be happier. Realized happiness was a choice.” You choose how you feel. You can make the best of a situation. For a thought, feeling, etc. to have power, you have to give it energy. Reserve your energy for the feelings you want to feel and the thoughts you want to have. Choose the experiences, the people, the places that make you happy.
The holidays tend to be about giving which is a lovely thing. One way to ellavate your holiday is by putting effort into your gifts for others. I love the feeling of getting/making something I know the other person will really like. It is also a great time to make donations, if you can. For example, adopting a child to get gifts for lights me up like nothing else can. Supporting great causes makes you feel good. In the spirit of giving and the holidays, we also give out our energy. Knowing when to expend energy and when to conserve it is a gift to yourself and others. Your energy is such a powerful thing so don’t let others take that away unless you want to give it out. Grant yourself grace by giving yourself time to recharge your battery. You don’t need to be “on” all the time or you will be burnout by the end of the holidays. Be honest with yourself and with others about your energy levels.
Remember that you don’t “have to” do anything. This is your life and no person or fake idea of what you should do is going to tell you how to live. Of course I encourage you to step out of your comfort zone because you never know what that may turn into, but don’t you get to decide. Your life is in your hands. Allow that power to excite you.
Get into the festivities!! Nobody needs a grinch, be like Cindy Loo. Whatever you celebrate, it doesn’t matter. Continue your past traditions or make new ones. My family and I always watch Christmas movies like Elf and The Grinch. It’s a great tine to laugh and cozy up on the couch. There are other winter activities like ice skating and baking that don’t involve Christmas. I have a bunch of posts on my blog about making Starbucks holiday drinks, Christmas cookie recipes, Gingerbread Santa Pancakes, and so much more so go check those out.
Be present and grateful throughout this season. It’s easy for the months to either slowly drag along or go by in a flash, but try to be in the now and be thankful. For example, although I’m in the midst of research papers and exams, this is my senior year of high school which means that this may be the last year I can enjoy some of the Christmas traditions because I’ll be away at college. I want to make the most of everything I can and the way to do that is by being present. Not only the act of presence, but also noticing your presence. I find that when I am in the moment and realize the fact that I am in the moment and happy, I am completely content. The more you notice what is going on instead of blindly going through life, the happier you will become.
With holidays come treats and yummy food…my favorite. This has become an increasingly difficult topic for some as influencers and peers talk about dieting, weight gain, etc. However, if you restrict yourself of the foods you want to eat not only will you be sad, but you will feel deprived and possibly over eat these foods later. I’m not saying eat treats all day everyday, but if you want a cookie, have a cookie. If you want multiple cookies, have multiple. Allow yourself to indulge once in a while.