After all, what could be better than reading the story of Christmas to your children or grandchildren, hearing voices joined together in song at a church service or taking a walk on a beautiful, snowy night?
Pursuing The “Highs”
The holiday traditions we share with our loved ones fall into the category as a “high.” And it’s a powerful high.
At this time of year, many of us work hard to make others happy or make it the best holiday ever. As a result, we may find ourselves being pulled in many different directions. We want to find the perfect gift, make sure the house looks perfect, bake the perfect cookies, be the perfect host. All in the pursuit of the high.
But sometimes we get so caught up in this pursuit, we don’t realize we’ve set some unrealistic expectations.
On top of that, when we’re so busy, we tend to ignore ourselves and our health plan goes out the window. We may overeat, skip exercise, not get enough sleep.
When The “Lows” Set In
The next thing we know, it’s the week after Christmas. All the shopping is done. All the gifts have been opened. Everyone has gone home. Then you realize you fell off the deep end with your health plan. This is when the “lows” set in.
I’ll be honest, the holidays are usually a hard time for me. In the past, I’ve lost balance and not taken care of myself. My weight goes up and my spirits go down. Way down.
That’s why this topic hits home for me big time. I’m just as human and vulnerable as the next person. What’s different now is that I know myself, what I struggle with and I’m not afraid to talk about it. I’ve learned that maintaining a balance in all the dimensions of my life is a great equalizer for me.
So here is the good news. This year, I have a plan to maintain a healthy balance during the holidays. Having a plan, and a strong desire to see it through, is the best thing we can do for ourselves because it sets us up for success. Now that’s a high!
This Week’s O’Nealism:
“If you never dare to put your toes on the starting line, you’ll never experience the glories and greatness of the journey. That’s the true victory”.
