The holiday season often brings a whirlwind of celebrations, responsibilities, and obligations—on top of the demands of work, school, family, and friends. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed, and like there’s no time to maintain the healthy habits you’ve worked so hard to build throughout the year. But no matter how your holiday season looks, you don’t have to sacrifice your well-being to enjoy this time. This week on Fox17, Dr.Bitner shares the importance of setting intentions as we approach the holidays to help us have a balanced holiday season.
Set your intention by defining a clear goal and visualizing the steps needed. It begins with asking yourself, “How do I want to feel after?” Whether it’s after a family event, your child’s response to a gift, how you want to feel after a meal, or how you want to wake up after a holiday party. Once you identify your goal, visualize the event and the steps it takes to reach your goal. Maybe your goal is to feel grateful, satisfied by others’ happiness, or not feel overwhelmed.
The next step in setting an intention is visualizing the realistic steps you can take to achieve your goal. Ask yourself, “What actions can I take to create the feeling I want?” Envision the events, connections, and relationships involved, and outline clear steps to guide you. For example, if your intention is to feel joyful and satisfied after a holiday dinner, your steps might include focusing on positive conversations, reminiscing about cherished memories, being mindful of your portions, and prioritizing protein and healthy fats on your plate.
Write down your intentions. Take some time to think, visualize, and put your thoughts on paper to help you feel prepared and navigate this season with meaningful intention. Journaling your goals can empower you to choose a holiday that makes YOU happy.
Find time for healthy habits. The holidays can make exercising, eating healthy, and finding time to rest more difficult. By trying your best to prioritize, these habits can change how you feel physically and mentally. If you can’t get in a typical workout, schedule a walk after dinner or 10 minutes of movement, whether it’s dancing to Christmas music with your kids or stretching before bed. The holidays don’t need to be perfect. You cannot control what happens around you, but you can make intentional choices to nurture your body.
Jane, 41, shared with her doctor that her anxiety had gotten worse with the holidays around the corner. She remembered how last year it took weeks after Christmas to recover her energy and months to recover financially. Jane worried the same would happen this year and her mental health would suffer. Jane asked her doctor if increasing her anti-anxiety medication would help.
Jane’s doctor advised that while medication can help add brain chemicals to the mix and assist in coping, it’s important that Jane learn coping mechanisms. When asked what she wanted from the holidays, Jane answered that everyone would get along, see her family happy and together, have fun and excitement, and be mentally and physically healthy on January 2. The doctor explained to her the purpose of setting intentions.
After her visit, Jane went home, and set her intentions. She wrote down ways to schedule time to exercise, sleep, and have alone time with her kids and husband. Jane also mapped out a plan to prepare for holiday events and shop for presents responsibly. Jane felt hopeful that this holiday, she could get out in front of her worries and make intentional choices to have a holiday she was excited about.
Write down your intention for this season and make conscious choices to reach your desired outcome. Continue to practice habits that nurture your mental and physical wellness to feel your best this holiday.
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