What are you gifting yourself?
Tue, Nov 30, 2010
Ahhhh.
If you live in the USA you may still be feeling the, uh, repercussions of the great Thanksgiving Stress-out.
Family, food, schedules thrown for a loop, routine being replaced by mayhem— all that.
No matter where you reside we’re pretty much all thisclose to being knee-deep in holiday frenzy.
A few weeks ago I shared my tips for Fighting Holiday Frazzle. They were fantastic tips (according to my mom, anyway), but they were generalities.
What *I* do to stave off holiday stress with the hope they would spark some thoughts/insights for you.
Today we are all about the concrete.
About building a long & creative list of specific actions we can take to make these next thirty-twoish days as smooth as we can.
A list I can steal, print, hang on my fridge & use as a “go to” when Im at a loss for ways to lighten my holiday load.
This post is all about YOU & making your Holiday Season 2010 as fun, frazzle-free and PRESENT as possible so you can cruise into 2011 as your best & most health self.
I’ll start us off.
The Jewish MizFits among us know tomorrow at sundown Hanukkah begins.
None among us know, as a result of my being as busy as a Christmas elf Hanukkah Harry helper, I realized only a week ago how early Hanukkah came this year.
Upon that realization, right in that moment, I bestowed upon myself the gift certificate pictured above.
I immediately recognized how *crazy* it would make me to create (I love to do the personalized photocards), edit, print & personalize (I cant just plop a card in an envelope. This crazy writerwoman feels compelled to pen a heart-felt note on each card) our cards before 12.8.10.
And I immediately recognized while some things necessitate holiday craziness (preparing for company, purchasing gifts on time) this was not one of them.
And I immediately gave myself the give of time.
Now you.
With some help from me.
What can you (the royal) gift to yourself TODAY which will make your holiday season a lot more enjoyable?
Perhaps:
- Never say YES when your heart & head is screaming NO.
- If you have a vacation from work DON’T use that time for others dedicate it to self-care.
- (should you be a weigh’er) Bestow upon yourself a break from the scale.
- No! More! MUSTurbation. Do what you CAN & shed the shoulds & oughts.
- Please to hit us all up with your number five below…
This post is brought to you by the fit-minded Peeps at Sears Fit Club.
And no. They aren’t getting out of adding in *their* number five below either.
Tags: Sears Fit Club, self-care, self-love
and 
Does “refraining from should-ing on myself” count as an addendum to #4, or can I claim it as my very own?
I am taking your one about the scale and not weighing until after the holidays.
What else can I do to keep track that isn’t weighing?
maybe add in during the holidays a more kind & gentle check in?
I think we all do…) and use those as your barometer and check-in.
find a pair of semi-fitted pants which should fit without your being crazy (let me know if you dont know what I mean
once a week.
anyone else have thoughts?
This may be more crazy-making than weighing for some people, but I will journal my food just to stay mindful, even if I’ve veered off-track. Yep, 3 cookies, yep my brother’s homemade fudge, etc etc. no apologies, but not kidding myself about it either.
This is an easy one for me: progress not perfection.
I gift that to myself every day.
“No! More! MUSTurbation.”
That is hysterically funny! At my age I thought I’d heard them all. Too funny!
My gift to myself: I don’t.
I don’t go if I don’t really want to.
I don’t bake stuff if it’s something I have chosen not to eat on my plan.
I don’t give gifts out of obligation.
I don’t let people guilt me into eating ANYthing, for ANY reason unless I really want to.
You get the picture… I just don’t.
Loretta
=^..^=
PS: I’m not Ms Scrooge… really I’m not!
I love the pretend gift certificate, Miz!
This year I am not going home for Christmas.
I am ‘gifting’ myself the holiday with the family of my FRIENDS.
I’m one of those weirdos who doesn’t feel a lot of stress during the holidays. But just in case, I have committed to myself the gift of exercise time throughout the season. Not only will it combat the extra calories, it’s good for reducing stress, should any start piling up. Plus, it keeps me out of the stores.
Okay, MUSTurbation? Genius.
Alrighty, what I (we) are gifting ourselves?
We are not traveling at Christmas. We’re staying home.
I am very happy about this decision.
Girl I love that MUSTurbation video!!!
Musturbation is the funniest thing I’ve heard!
One of the real benefits of growing comfortable in my own skin is the ability to keep it real(er). I’ve quit doing a lot of the things that I thought I SHOULD and started to do more of the things that I WANT. I no longer decorate a house, merely a tablescape now and again. I stay much more in the moment and less frantic.
My tip: Resign from the Head Elf position. It’s not my job to try to ensure everyone around me has “a magical holiday experience”.
Love this idea, Miz. I am gifting myself….time to enjoy the holiday and make it magical again. The stress of the holiday and family obligations have taken over in the past, but NO MORE! I’m taking the magic of the holiday back! More details to come in my next post.
I gift me that everyone on my list will receive a gift card this year!!
Easy.
I love this.
Oh and now I may gift myself a real gift of a massage before the holiday.
Thank you
I will not feel guilty for spoiling friends and family with homemade gifts instead of store bought gifts this Christmas. Repeat 1000 more times.
Love this one. We’re keeping it simple in the casa of bacon too!
5- Just have fun with it, whatever IT is.
Plain and simple. There is joy in everything, even some of the things you feel you MUST or can’t get out of. Find that… even if it’s the thought that you’ll soon be finished and have some of that pumpkin spice tea you’ve been dying to try.
So many times we get so wrapped up in the events: how we look, what we say to others, what they’re thinking, what we’re thinking about them, whether the food is good enough, low cal enough… we forget that these holiday events are supposed to be FUN. Relax and enjoy!
5. I will do what I can and that will have to be enough.
I love the reader suggestions. Progress not perfection? That rings so true!!
Is this why someone called you the Mayor?
I was not going to gift myself anything.
I will think about this, MizFit.
“Never say YES when your heart & head is screaming NO.”
This.
Would love some mball soup, but will settle for latkes!!! Happy almost Chanukah!
Hi Carla! We are on the same wavelength with our do something for yourself posts! So important this time of year when we are usually doing for everyone else… not like that does not happen year round too!
I hate when Hanukkah comes so early.. I am so not ready for it BUT I do have menorah candles!
#5: Do your best, whatever it is, and move on… nothing says we have to be at the top of our game every day or moment. If you get 30 minutes of exercise instead of 60.. so be it.. something is better than nothing. If the food dish did not come exactly pretty looking.. oh well. Give yourself a mental break!
Books. I’m getting a Kindle and reclaiming my joy of reading. It is such a de-stresser for me.
Me? I’m so entirely wrapped up in building, business, creating, etc. that I completely forgot that the holidays are here. Wow… That’s why I’m unplugging for 24 hours so I can focus on enjoying the holidays and my family completely. No phone, no internet, no morse code. 1 to 1 communication and sharing for an entire day. NO EXCEPTIONS!
5. Not being bullied into spending more money on things we said we wouldn’t spend money on this year in order to not go into massive debt. Example, no we will NOT be playing the dirty santa game with a $20-$25 gift per adult that is random crap no one wants. We are ONLY buying for the kids this year. Everyone else can do what they please, but they will not bully me into things I can’t afford this year.
These are all amazing, I love #1 and I think for added measure I need to make it my #5 as well. I will need lots of reminders for that one.
Have you thought about sending out New Year’s cards? Those can go late and not even be late! Hanukkah snuck up on me too.
I’m going to tell myself it is okay to take a blogging break over the holidays. We will have guests here for a while and I just won’t have time to sequester myself in the office to write posts or read blogs. Not sure what I’ll do yet.
I love this post!
I gift me self-love and kindness.
#5 Trashy T V!
Mindless relaxing.
I am gifting mysel a rededication to making me the best me I can be.
Great post Carla - hmmmmmm - let me think about number 5.
#5 - Remember the people and connections over the activities and stuff.
That’s a good one for me because I’m figuring out how to handle this one (my son is 17 and it will be his last one at home) - I’ll keep you posted on that one because he is SOOOO done with me ~~~
I am picking your #1 for my #5.
I won’t feel bad for going a bit cheap this year. Money’s tight and friends and family should understand.Right?
Right?
RIGHT!
great tips! i suck at stress management and am paying for it right now with a super aching tummy. all i can tolerate in the morning the last couple days are strongly alkaline smoothies
i miss meat! i really wanted that pork roast last night but my stomach was crying for roasted veggies and squash instead. i’m gifting myself yoga time!
I did a double-take at #4. Did I read that right? LOL Love it.
5. Relax and not feel guilty for not being able to do it all and be everywhere. My family and the memories we make are the most important part of the holidays. As the emotion-setter in the house (aren’t all moms?) I will be calm and happy and just enjoy every aspect. Including wrapping gifts with a cocktail in one hand and tape in another.
This is awesome, Miz. As for the cards, I (in a fit of stress) decided to do New Year’s cards (and allowed myself until Jan 30 to mail them) and this has made SUCH a difference in the holiday time madness! Besides, our card arrives away from the clump of everyone else’s and stands out as SPECIAL. Yay. I recommend!!
Don’t feel obligated to do something just b/c you’ve done it every other holiday season. (like throw a party, bring that pie, volunteer to do X, etc.)
hee - MUSTurbation. I love it.
with the fast paced schedule we have starting tomorrow, I am reminding myself to ENJOY and BE PRESENT for all of it… I feel lucky to have so many things to do, and will do my best to celebrate everyone in my life…
I am also keeping a sturdy schedule - work out each morning as usual, enjoying quiet evenings at home with Jason.
<3
Perfect timing with this post today as I have a list a mile long and have been feeling overwhelmed. My gift will be to do something I enjoy every day, along with all of the “need to” stuff. Hmmm. Think I’ll go dig out my new crazy blue tiny Christmas tree and start decorating it.
Another vote for New Year’s cards although this year I did get some cute Christmas cards.
I’m pretty good at not musturbating as it is, but now I will smile when I say “no, thanks,” or “sorry, I can’t.”
My #5. Say yes to time with friends and family, no to wild goose chases for that “perfect” gift. If its not on Amazon they don’t need it.
I decided right around Thanksgiving that I am going to give myself a break from all or nothing thinking. I’m going to change the way I think about myself, my eating, and my exercise. Because if nothing else I’ve learned over the past 18 months, it’s that life it too short for me to be this hard on myself. I think this may be my best gift ever.
I love this idea MizFit.
I really am printing all these out!!
I’m just going to make sure that I have the time to do my usual routine. For me staying in my exercise and eating routine is the easiest way for me to stay stress free.
My 5 things:
1.This year my family is forgoing gifts and we are just going to spend time together and snack and play games. No gift stress…we’re just going to donate to charities on each other’s behalf.
2. the freedom to not feel guilty about saying no to events. I’ve been so busy the key word of the holidays is relax…
3. Forget trying to have a perfectly decorated house - just go with what I like and appreciate it.
4.Freedom to not go crazy on days I can’t get to the gym..
5.Eggnog!
I spend all year saying yes when I mean no.
I need to stop this!
Love it. Here is my 5.
1. Giving myself the gift of getting back on track NOW, not waiting a month. Calorie counting, weighing, healthy eating may not be convenient over the holidays, but it will be worth it to me. It’s been a while.
2. Rest. No races during the holidays. No strenuous training. Cutting back my cardio to about half of what it was.
3. Getting stronger. Adding weights and strength so that when I do go crazy again, I’ll be harder, better, faster, stronger.
4. Only doing events this year we want and have time for. Since we work for the same company we only have one holiday party. We’ll do friends x-mas after new years when everyone is back. We don’t have to say yes to everything (even if it has free food and booze).
5. Getting outside to enjoy the nice weather as much as possible. This weekend, it’s supposed to be 75 and sunny. Want to take FULL advantage of that and do a nice long run, walk, or bike ride to get me some vitamin D.
Enjoy the holiday season for what it is a time to get closer to our families and closer to God. And in the process making sure to take care of my self(Exercise and Healthy Eating).
My #5 is, without a doubt, gifting myself with the freedom to NOT cook the huge meal for everyone and then also be stuck with the clean up. Santa (or whoever) does not care if we eat the traditional meal or get take out.
This year we plan on having Chinese food on Christmas Eve as a family, not going anywhere and just enjoying being with each other.
Christmas day will be spent with other family and friends, but Christmas Eve is ALL about the Sparks’ … that’s us.
5.Not buying everyone the best gift ever!!
I seem to get too caught up in wow-ing people when it really does not matter that much.
I am not traveling.
Not even if they offer to pay for expenses.
Not even if they offer to move around the whole house so we can have quiet for our teeny ones.
Not even when they then pull out the guilt cards.
AND I GIFT MYSELF TO NOT FEEL BAD ABOUT IT
Holiday cards. Right. Holiday cards…la la la la la…see? I’m so good at this game, I forgot all about the holiday cards!
I NEED one of those MizFit coupons!! And “musturbation” will have me giggling for a week:) But truly, it is your #1 tip that I most needed to read. I’m so bad at that and yet I need to realize that while saying yes may be easier in the moment it makes everything 100 times harder later on! Priorities… priorities… priorities…
Love the gift certificate and one through four. I’m too tired to think of a number five. So, I’m giving myself permission to not write *five* here.
I am going to say NO to things, events, commitments so I can say YES to being present, to give of myself and to move into a new, exciting year with EASE!
I’m gifting myself…the freedom to cut way back on the gift buying, daily outdoor activities, quite a few spicey chai eggnog drinks, sleeping in, minimal travel, way less baking and goodie eating, and I’m putting my tree up late cuz the tree represents presents which means more stuff which can lead to pouting people!
Watch the story of stuff on youtube for an intetesting perspective on waisting money & hurting the environment!
Great post!
Happy HANUKKAH
My number 5 is to kick stress to the curb and enjoy this time as it was meant to be. Stress out to be set on the table like a fruit cake for all to look at but nobody ever wants any.
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