Between back-to-school, the time change, election season and the holidays kicking off, there are a lot of reasons we might have started feeling burnt out recently. Now more than ever it’s important for us to build time for self-care into our routine.
Practice gratitude: Keep a gratitude journal or reflect on the positive aspects of your life. Even jotting down one sentence before turning in for the night can help get us into the habit of reflecting on our day and finding the little moments that help us practice gratitude as often as possible.
Establish boundaries: Consider your boundaries before large gatherings so you don't get swept up in other people's plans. Knowing our own limits can help prevent us from over-extending ourselves physically or mentally and can help us to wind down quicker from some of the more eventful gatherings.
Show yourself compassion: Be patient and gentle with yourself. Even if we’re old pros at some of these self-care habits, this time of year can push our boundaries regardless of how disciplined we are. Similarly, if we’re just starting to implement a little me-time in our routines, we’ve got to remember to show ourselves compassion if we’re not as disciplined or successful on our first few tries. Ideally, these practices will become long-term habits.
Meditate: Use a guided meditation app to help you stay focused on the present and self-
aware. Other resources like pre-recorded sound baths, yoga, and even nature walks are great tools for practicing self-reflection and allowing us to remain in the moment.
Get enough sleep: Go to bed at a reasonable hour. Easier said than done for many of us. Try leaving your cell phone in another room like the kitchen to charge overnight or swapping the thirty minutes of television before bed for a book or even the aforementioned gratitude journaling!
Acknowledge your bad feelings: Know that they will pass. This season can stir up memories and emotions for many of us that might not present as prettily as the jingles and ads present the season to be. Remember that we’re all allowed to have multiple feelings about one specific thing, and that the complexity of your feelings never makes you less than anyone else. Most importantly, we’ll keep putting one foot in front of the other and making the most of the energy we have.
Recognize shared struggle: Shift your frame of reference to see yourself as similar and connected with others. Community is a huge boost during these darker months of the year. Whether it's social meet ups like walks, knitting groups or play dates with children; or more structured like volunteering, getting genuine face time with others can be a serious mood lifter. Try to schedule a tasty coffee and a nice walk with a friend or two and see if sharing in the struggle and finding gratitude together makes you just a little lighter.
Looking for a way to jump start that community involvement? Join Cape Cod Healthy Connections for our Winter Walks series - indoor, Black Friday and New Years' walks, and our upcoming Salty Dogs Winter Challenge!
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