With the holidays upon us, the demands on our time increase, and for many, it is overwhelming. There are gifts to buy, decorations to hang, school plays to attend, social engagements from work and friends, and on and on. Before we know it, we have said yes to everyone else except to us. We give and give until we are giving from depletion.
Does this happen to you? If it does, you may be experiencing a lot of stress, which sets off all kinds of hormones that race through your body. These hormones may trigger self-sabotaging behavior, especially when it comes to our diet. When stress increases, we revert to old coping methods that we developed ages ago. Some will turn to comfort food, some will shut down and avoid people, some will lash out and say things to vent, and some will turn to drugs, alcohol, or worse. Although those things may provide a moment of relief, that relief is short lived and ends up making things worse.
WHAT WE RESIST PERSISTS
Dealing with issues before they blow up and worsen is far better than resisting what needs to be said or done.
Being a Stage III throat cancer survivor, I’ve learned that if you don’t address the problem head on quickly, the disease will kill you. The same thing happens when we try to make other people so happy that we don’t take time for ourselves. Sooner or later, we run out of energy, and before long, we regret that we took on so much that we didn’t have a minute to ourselves. I have been guilty of doing this countless times in my life. I’ve learned I give far more to the people around me when I give from a place of abundance rather than a place of depletion.
This holiday season, I would like to suggest that you create a healthy boundary around the amount of time that you need to give to yourself so that you can give from a place of abundance each and every day. Carve out your time first. Put yourself at the top of your list, and you will have more positive energy to give more than you ever imagined! Remember, self-care is not selfish. As a life coach, I’ve found that until we love ourselves unconditionally, we limit the love we can give to others.
Happy Holidays to everyone celebrating this season. I look forward to hearing from you all as we look forward to making next year the best year of our lives!
Johnny is an authorized Positive Intelligence Coach and a certified Health and Life Coach.
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