With Covid-19 and the pandemic changing everything about the way we live and work, it has been a struggle to find a balance in the midst of the chaos. New waves keep coming up, full and partial lockdowns and of course the need to be wearing a mask and sanitize all most all the time. The stress is real. The mental health challenges are there.
We are in unprecedented times. Now we have the happy holidays coming up with thanksgiving and Christmas, what does a mom do? How truly do you vaccinate aka protect your sanity during these times?
“A Mother who radiates self-love and self-acceptance actually vaccinates her daughter (or son) against low self-esteem.”
Naomi Wolf
The Five Ways
Put yourself first!
I know as a mom it is difficult to do this especially with the little ones around. There are so many needs and they all need you. I mean you are mommy and you are the nurturer of the family.
However, if you do not look after yourself and then you break down, who will be there for the family? Putting yourself first puts your family first. And how do you do this? It is all about self-care.
What is self-care? Very well mind describes self-care describes a conscious act one takes in order to promote their own physical, mental and emotional health. Unfortunately, many moms consider this a luxury yet it is most necessary during the happy holidays. You need to love yourself!
You need to care for yourself in five different areas- physical, emotional, spiritual, mental and social.
Physical Self-care
Physical self-care is all about taking care of your body so that it runs efficiently. This entails how you are feeding yourself so your eyes need to be on your nutrition. Get the veggies in. How are you moving? You need to exercise, whatever works for you but get your body moving and of course, make all the dental and medical appointments.
And SLEEP- as a mom, it is difficult but you need to sleep at least 8 hours. Stay on top of your health!
Social Self-care
This is about your relationships with family and friends. With the ongoing pandemic, it has been hard meeting up and going for the brunches and lady lunches. We have to shift the way we are now doing it. Call. Talk to your friends. Have zoom meetups with your salad by your side.
Go old school and write a letter. Create different and unique ways to nurture your relationships. Just because you cannot meet them doesn’t mean you can’t talk to them.
Mental Self- care
Mental self-care is about doing things that keep you mentally healthy. This is very important for your psychological well-being. There are various ways you can do to go about this which includes puzzles, chess, reading a book or watching a movie.
Spiritual Self-care
We are spiritual beings and we need to care for that aspect of our lives no matter the religion or not. This is anything that helps in developing a deeper sense of meaning. It can be meditation or prayer. Practices that get you thinking about your life.
Emotional Self-care
This looks at how you deal with challenges in your life like anxiety and stress that come up as a mom. I know we tend to want to be strong for the family but we need to be able to express our feelings as raw as they are and incorporate activities that make you feel better.
Be Financially Savvy
This makes me sometimes break out in a sweat. I will admit I am not the best at finances but I am working on it and have even gotten a financial coach but one thing I have learnt is to prepare way ahead for my happy holidays. It is about saving for it. Keeping something aside every month for the holidays will make you feel at rest knowing you saved up for it.
I know we want to spend and buy all in sight and it is out of love, right? But we need to be wise. We do not have to buy the latest PS5 or the new outfit that would look fantastic on your little girl. Nop, we do not need to do that. We can even make this a fun activity and teach our kids about finances, creating healthy money habits. What it means to earn and save. There are different things the little ones can do to make a little money on the side.
Check out the youtube video where Suzi shows us how her 6 year old earned some money.
Prepare Prepare Prepare
There is no other way around this. We need to vaccinate our sanity and preparation is the way to do it. Create a meal plan for the different days during the happy holidays. You can easily get this online but you can use this link to the good housekeeping meal plan. What do you want for each day and what is required for it? And then make sure you shop way early and cook or pre-cook all that can be cooked.
Have a casserole or lasagne in the freezer. Get the hors d’oeuvres that can be frozen. Make the meal plans as easy as you can. And you do not need to come up with your own. You can buy meal plans from…..and you are sorted. There are many time-saving tips and you can check this link for more. Make the happy holidays easy on you!
I have a friend, she is much older so she has older children who live nearby so she makes one main dish and the rest of the family bring in the rest be it the starter or side dishes and they all congregate happy, leaving her with her sanity. Her happy holidays are truly happy.
Keeping up with the Jones? No!
I know we are bombarded left right and center with the mom who created a five-course meal that left guests reeling in shock. It doesn’t make it easier with social media showing the moms with the tidy houses, decorated to be in Architectural digest, the body that looks like it bore no child.
We need to be real and accept who we are and where we are at. Do what you can do. If you have no idea how to stuff the turkey or make cranberry sauce. You make what you know best. In the end, your family wants to be with you and see you happy. Make it happy mom, happy life, happy holidays!
The best christmas gift of all is the presence of a happy family all wrapped up with one another. Jesus is the reason for the season! From a little spark may burst a mighty flame. The only blind person at Christmas time is he who has not Christmas in his heart.
Hellen Keller
Perspective, Perspective!
What are the happy holidays about? What is Thanksgiving? Or Christmas? What of Hannukah? Or New Years? What are they really all about? When you think about it, it is really all about family and love and sharing. It is about being together and being grateful for the life we have in spite of a pandemic. It is a time to rest and relax with your family.
Why are you doing all this? There is absolutely no need to go overboard to entertain people. It is a time to be with the people you love and who love you. Let go of the expectations and obligations. Protect your peace of mind and vaccinate your sanity during the happy holidays so that you are indeed being a happy mom, living a happy life!
I have given you just five ways to vaccinate your sanity during the happy holidays. Please share with us in the comment section how you are doing this. It will definitely all of us to be a happy mom, happy life!
