Self-Care, Not Chistmas Cookies

Today is the day that many of us return to work.  Maybe we've had a restful holiday:  good times with family and friends, a good meal or two, some downtime.  Maybe we've had the kind of holiday that involves lots of driving.  Maybe we've done a lot of shopping. 

And now, we launch into an ever-more-intense holiday time.  Maybe you find yourself reaching for a cookie at just the thought of it.

Now is the time when we need to be ever more aware of what we truly need.  Do we need to do shopping or do we need to declare a moratorium?  If you need a great, yet stern, lecture on not spending when you don't have the money, see this essay in The Washington Post.

What would happen if we kept to a strict schedule during this holiday time?  What if we went to bed early?  How can we make time for exercise?

Since so many of us will be going to social events where we're likely to overeat, maybe we could have a stripped-down eating plan for the rest of the time.  Now is the time for vegetable soups.  Make a big pot and take some for lunch or have some for a light supper before you go to those social events.

Hopefully, you've taken some time to do some budgeting of both your time and money.  Hopefully, you have a plan.

But even if you don't, remember that most of us feel frazzled during this holiday time, and we're often looking for a quick fix.  Remember that most of your cravings are a disguised (or not so disguised) yearning for self-care.  We reach for a cookie when we need quick energy or a happy memory or the feeling that someone loves us.

What is it that you really want when you eat that cookie?  Once you figure that out, you may be able to limit yourself to just one cookie or avoid it completely.  Maybe a hot bath would work just as well.  Maybe an early evening would make you feel more nurtured than a quick cookie.  Maybe it's time for a real meal.

As we head into December, I wish for us all the self-awareness that will help us get the self-care that we need.