As the holiday season is approaching some extra challenges are getting added when it comes to setting health boundaries.
As all of us know, the holiday season means more social commitments, financial pressures, family gatherings, more eating and drinking.
This is the time where we may find ourselves over-stressed and off our normal routine like that of exercising, sleeping, healthy eating and other positive coping activities. It becomes easier for us to make excuses and make unhealthy choices, simply “because it’s Christmas”.
We may become more passive and not want to say no to unhealthy things and drinks being offered to us because of our irrational fear of becoming the boring one in the gathering.
Being around family can also means slipping back into old patterns that we’ve worked hard to untangle ourselves from.
The holidays tend to be a challenging time for those living a healthy life by making healthier life choices.
The seemingly endless invitations to gatherings and get-togethers can be overwhelming.
Attending those events and interacting with others can be even more difficult.
By learning to establish healthy boundaries during the holiday season, you can make time for what’s important while maintaining your overall health.
We can build and maintain these boundaries by understanding our needs, practicing specific actions and communicating with those around you.
Here is how we can set health boundaries over the holiday period.
Learn to say No
A lot of us are very much scared to say ‘No’ to anyone.
The word ‘No’ in itself comes with so much of negative stigma attached to itself that we often fear people around will see us in negative light if we ever say no to them.
All of us have this fear and we have grown up attached with this stigma.
However, saying ‘No’ doesn’t make us negative all the time.
To set health boundaries we will have to learn to say no to any unhealthy foods or drinks being offered to us.
Do not let your fear of saying ‘No’ force you to take unhealthy choices.
Be committed to yourself
When we begin making healthy choices consciously we promise ourselves that we are going to turn this into our way of life.
We commit to make ourselves better but those commitments can deter when holiday season is around.
If anyone of our friend skips gym we feel like skipping too.
There are unhealthy junk foods everywhere you see and you eat it thinking a little does no harm.
But slowly that little turns a lot and you end up spiraling down to your old healthy ways.
So do not let your commitment be deterred. Whenever your heart starts convincing you otherwise, remember why you started to set proper health boundaries.
Take out time to yourself
Holiday season is all about spending time with family and close friends.
We get invited to numerous holiday parties by everyone and might even host some by ourselves.
It’s that time of the year when the get-togethers and gatherings never seem to end.
There comes a drastic change to our schedule and everything seems to be hectic.
It is important for us to take out time for ourselves if we are to set healthy boundaries.
It is absolutely not important that we attend every gathering that we are invited to.
We will have to step back for a while when it gets difficult to make time for ourselves.
While those who have invited us will feel bad, we will have to do what we need to do for setting a healthy boundary.
Make a morning routine
The time of holidays is always a period of chaos in everyone’s life.
The gatherings, foods, drinks, everything can be so much overwhelming if we do not know how to handle it.
Creating a morning routine can be a good way to have that bit of constancy in the chaotic life.
While we dedicate our whole day friends and family, there is nothing wrong with dedicating mornings for ourselves.
Wake up early, meditate, exercise and eat a healthy breakfast. Make sure you make conscious healthy choices at least in the morning.
Leave when you need to
We usually know when our body starts asking for rest. Interacting with people can actually be a pretty tiring thing to do.
On the top of that interacting at gatherings and get-togethers are even more tiring because there are always so many people with whom we only meet on occasions.
In situations like these, we often tend to push ourselves to our limit.
And to do that is not very healthy.
Our body cannot function without proper rest, so when our body starts asking for rest its better if we give it to them.
Thus, we must learn to leave when we need to without thinking what others might feel about our departure.
That is how we will be able to set a healthy boundary.
Do Read: https://www.wikye.com/5-tips-to-avoid-uncomfortable-questions-at-family-gatherings/
