Holiday Self Care

 

ITS HOLIDAY SELF CARE TIME! It’s the greatest time of the year to feel your best! Holidays can be so overwhelming and feel like we don’t get a break, so we have to prioritize time to take care of ourselves even during the busy times of the holidays!

 

Make Healthy Choices, Most of the Time

If your mom makes her famous Christmas cutout cookies and you want one, then eat the cookie! Don’t restrict yourself constantly especially during the holidays. A tip to help make healthy choices during the holidays and just to watch your portions. Have one cookie instead of three even though it may be tempting. This makes it easier to stay on that healthy routine when life is back to normal again. Remember too much sugar, salt, and fat can impact your motivation, mood, and energy.

 

Say No

It's so easy to stretch ourselves thin during the holidays and say yes to everything. We must remind ourselves to be kind to ourselves, manage your time, set time boundaries, and decline anything that is going to bring you stress or drain you.

 

Pamper Yourself aka TREAT YO SELF

The holidays are a great reason to pamper yourself! Get ya hair did, get ya nails did, get a relaxing massage, take yourself to lunch, or buy yourself a Christmas gift!

 

Be Intentional

Ask yourself what is the most important thing to you during the holidays? What do you want to do? Who do you want to spend time with? How do you want to feel? Be clear on your priorities during the holidays and stay focused on what matters to you and get the most meaningful experience this holiday.

 

Make a Budget and Respect It

It is easy to want to do the most for our family and friends during the holidays. Holiday shopping shouldn’t jeopardize your finances. So, to be realistic, set a limit on how much you want to spend all together and then break that down to how much you will spend per person, so you feel good about your purchases.

 

Ditch the Perfection Mentality

We want the holidays to be a magical time full of fun, memories, and meaningful time. We strive for perfection but then end up disappointed or stressed. Perfection is not realistic. This year strive for an authentic "good enough" holiday! 

 

Decorate for Comfort

If you are anything like we are at Enlightenment, decorating for the holidays is the best part of the season. There is something about the soft lighting from the tree, cozy pillows, fluffy blankets, and holiday candles that provides such comfort. Find ways that you can provide yourself this comfort and create a space that feels safe and like your sanctuary. 

Mental Health Christmas Gift Ideas for 2022

 

Anyone looking for some last-minute Christmas gift ideas for your loved ones? What is better than a gift that could help their mental health? We have created a list of the top gift ideas to help individuals struggling with different mental illnesses that we recommend. Happy Shopping Everyone!

 

Best When Anxious- Weighted Blanket: Cotton Weighted Blanket: Machine Washable | Luna - Luna (lunablanket.com)

 

Best for cozy- comfortable PJs: Women's Beautifully Soft Short Sleeve Notch Collar Top And Shorts Pajama Set - Stars Above™ : Target or Women's Beautifully Soft Long Sleeve Notch Collar Top And Pants Pajama Set - Stars Above™ : Target

 

Best for Grounding- Biofeedback Ball: shop.meetreflect.com/reflect/

 

Best for Feelings- Journal: Amazon.com : Daily Positivity Journal For Happiness, Wellness, Mindfulness & Self Care - Inspirational Journals To Write In, Writing Prompt Journal & Guided Journal Gifts For Men & Women - Hardcover Diary Notebook : Office Products

 

Best for Relaxing- Dr. Teals Products: Dr Teal's Bath and Body Regimen Relax & Relief Gift Set: Eucalyptus & Spearmint - Walmart.com

 

Best When Feeling Down Due to Weather- SAD Light: HappyLight® Luxe 10,000 lux Light Therapy Lamp w/Timer | Shop Verilux

 

Best for Comfort- Heated Blanket: Cuddl Duds® Heated Plush Sherpa Throw (kohls.com)

 

Best for Organizing Junkies- Home Edit Books: The Home Edit: A Guide to Organizing and Realizing Your House Goals: Shearer, Clea, Teplin, Joanna: 9780525572640: Amazon.com: Books , The Home Edit Life: The No-Guilt Guide to Owning What You Want and Organizing Everything: Shearer, Clea, Teplin, Joanna: 9780593138304: Amazon.com: Books , and The Home Edit Workbook: Prompts, Activities, and Gold Stars to Help You Contain the Chaos: Shearer, Clea, Teplin, Joanna: 9780593139820: Amazon.com: Books

 

Best for Music Mood Boost- Airpods: AirPods : Target

 

Best for Quiet Time- Ingooood puzzles: Ingooood Jigsaw Puzzles 1000 Pieces Online

 

Best to Occupy Your Mind- Adult Coloring Book: Color Me Calm: 100 Coloring Templates for Meditation and Relaxation (Volume 1) (A Zen Coloring Book, 1): Mucklow, Lacy, Porter, Angela: 0499991687558: Amazon.com: Books

 

How we chose

Our list of recommended products is based on the following factors:

• personal experience
• high ratings of at least 4 or 5 stars
• customer ratings and reviews
• variety of gifts

 Reasons for choosing

Best When Anxious- Weighted Blanket: Cotton Weighted Blanket: Machine Washable | Luna - Luna (lunablanket.com)

Luna Weighted Blanket is the best overall weighted blanket. It is affordable, machine washable, and suitable for all sleepers fussy, sweaty and insomniacs! The blanket can be purchased in a queen size or king size and weights range from 10 LBS to 30 LBS. Weighted blankets are perfect when you are struggling with anxiety because it can provide you comfort even if you are just lying on the couch watching tv. The blanket acts as if you are being hugged and if you at a cuddly fur baby on your lap it’s the ultimate comfort.  This blanket ranges from 84.99-134.99 depending on the blanket size and weight.

 

Best for Cozy- Comfortable PJs: Women's Beautifully Soft Short Sleeve Notch Collar Top And Shorts Pajama Set - Stars Above™ : Target or Women's Beautifully Soft Long Sleeve Notch Collar Top And Pants Pajama Set - Stars Above™ : Target

Stars Above PJ sets at Target the best affordable PJs! They come in short sleeve and shorts set or long sleeve and pants set. They are made with modal blend fabric and are breathable plus they look very chic and relaxing. These PJs range in sizes from XS- 4X and are 21.99

 

Best for Grounding- Biofeedback Ball: shop.meetreflect.com/reflect/

The Reflect Orb is one of the coolest wellness gadgets we have seen so far. This orb is your own personal biofeedback tool. Biofeedback is basically a therapy technique used to help control your body function. It is a type of mind-body therapy. Biofeedback can help treat anxiety, depression, PTSD, ADD/ADHD and many different medical conditions like IBS, insomnia, and pain. During biofeedback sessions you are connected to a monitor that measures your physiological signals in your body such as breathing, heart rate, muscle activity and more. Based on these results the therapist will give you suggested strategies to help change how your body is functioning. For example, you might use a relaxation technique to turn down the brainwaves that activate when you have a headache. Typical breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, guided imagery, and mindful meditations are the different exercises used in sessions. When using the Orb, you can physically see the body changes on the device, and it can help you change your body responses. This is your own personal assistant for relaxation. You can connect your device to an app that helps tailor your sessions to you and show you the progress you have been making. This Orb are priced at $229.

 

Best for Feelings- Journal: Amazon.com : Daily Positivity Journal For Happiness, Wellness, Mindfulness & Self Care - Inspirational Journals To Write In, Writing Prompt Journal & Guided Journal Gifts For Men & Women - Hardcover Diary Notebook : Office Products

Daily Positivity Journal for Happiness, Wellness, Mindfulness & Self Care - Inspirational Journals To Write In, Writing Prompt Journal & Guided Journal is a great journal for daily reflection. This journal provides habit tackers for personal development, inspirational quotes, positive affirmations, reasons for being grateful and more. It is a A5 size journal with over 100 pages to write whatever your heart's desire is. The book also has a note section, a ribbon bookmark, and a strap. The book can be found on amazon for $24.95.

 

Best for Relaxing- Dr. Teals Products: Dr Teal's Bath and Body Regimen Relax & Relief Gift Set: Eucalyptus & Spearmint - Walmart.com

Dr. Teal’s bath and body products are always a great go to! They come in many different scents for different ways to relax and recharge your body. The product we always recommend is the relax and relief. The set comes with soaking solution aka Epsom salt, bubble bath, body wash, body oil and lotion. The scent is eucalyptus and spearmint. This set is great if your loved one enjoys taking relaxing hot baths. This scent can definitely calm your mind body and spirit. These products can be found at Target, Walmart, Meijer or any CVS/ Walgreens. The gift set we recommend is at Walmart for $36.95.

 

Best When Feeling Down Due to Weather- SAD Light: HappyLight® Luxe 10,000 lux Light Therapy Lamp w/Timer | Shop Verilux

 

We all know someone, maybe many people, that struggle this time of year due to lack of sunlight and the snow. There is so much in sunlight that we miss out on in the late fall and winter months like vitamin D. By getting your loved one at HappyLight you can help bring down that seasonal affective disorder symptoms. This lamp imitates sunlight and helps produce hormones that help keep the body functioning.  This lamp is UV-free with 10,000 lux intensity. This HappyLight is priced at 69.99.

 
Best for Comfort- Heated Blanket: Cuddl Duds® Heated Plush Sherpa Throw (kohls.com)

Cuddl Duds Heated Throws are the best! With the cold weather getting us down and stuck inside, the best thing is cuddling up with a heated blanket, a cup of tea and watching a movie. The plush sherpa blanket provides the best comfort due to its soft cozy feel. The blanket is machine washable and has 3 heat settings. The blanket also comes with an automatic shutoff timer which is great! This blanket can be found at Khols for $69.99.

 

Best for Organizing Junkies- Home Edit Books: The Home Edit: A Guide to Organizing and Realizing Your House Goals: Shearer, Clea, Teplin, Joanna: 9780525572640: Amazon.com: Books , The Home Edit Life: The No-Guilt Guide to Owning What You Want and Organizing Everything: Shearer, Clea, Teplin, Joanna: 9780593138304: Amazon.com: Books , and The Home Edit Workbook: Prompts, Activities, and Gold Stars to Help You Contain the Chaos: Shearer, Clea, Teplin, Joanna: 9780593139820: Amazon.com: Books

 

The Home Edit book series is a great gift for those loved ones who need some help containing the chaos. Joanna and Clea provide you with a step-by-step guide to organize areas of your home. The books are easy to use, give practical organization setups, and relatable. If you haven't already, check out the home edit on Netflix to understand what Joanna and Clea do in the world of organization and how incredible satisfying it is to watch them transform spaces. These 3 books can all be found on amazon. The Home Edit Guide to Organizing is $11.89, The Home Edit Life is $13.96, and The Home Edit Workbook is $11.21

 

Best for Music Mood Boost- Airpods: AirPods : Target

 

Apple Airpods can definitely be a mood booster if music is your go to mood lifter. In the mental health world music tends to be an overall go to coping skill and to get the best out of that coping skill, you need great earphones to go with it. These Airpods are wireless and allow you to easily fit them in your purse, backpack, or your pocket. They allow up to 30 hours of listening with the case or 5-6 hours of listening time without the case. These are great for when anxiety is getting too high, and you want to use bilateral stimulation to help you relax and unwind. These range in price from $129.99 - $549.99.

 

Best for Quiet Time- Ingooood puzzles: Ingooood Jigsaw Puzzles 1000 Pieces Online

 

Ingooood Puzzles are a great way to relax and release yourself. These puzzles come in all different pictures from cartoon characters to beautiful paintings to seasonal art. This can be a good gift for the family to enjoy together for quiet time or just your loved one. These puzzles range from $16.99 - $25.99.

 

Best to Occupy Your Mind- Adult Coloring Book: Color Me Calm: 100 Coloring Templates for Meditation and Relaxation (Volume 1) (A Zen Coloring Book, 1): Mucklow, Lacy, Porter, Angela: 0499991687558: Amazon.com: Books

 

Color Me Calm is a great intricate adult coloring book. Adult coloring books are a great way for us to relax and calm ourselves down from the constant stimulation of adulting. This coloring book is organized into 7 different therapeutic themes such as Mandalas, Water Scenes, Wooded Scenes, Geometric Patterns, Flora & Fauna, Natural Patterns, and Spirituality.  These coloring pages give you a way to channel your anxiety into something beautiful and satisfying. You can find this coloring book on amazon for $31.88.

 

Maintaining Mental Health During The Holidays

 

The holidays can be difficult and stressful. Yes, for some this is fun and exciting but for many others it brings on nothing but stress. So going into this season it is good to start preparing yourself for what is to come. Your mental health definitely needs to be a priority during the holidays. So, what can you do to manage your mental health during this time? Below is a list of tips to manage.

 Put Your Needs First

Always put your mental and physical needs first during the holidays. Do you have certain triggers during the holidays? Understand what those triggers are and find ways to cope or avoid those triggers.

 

Practice Gratitude

Gratitude lists can be so helpful during the holidays. Take some time and reflect on things you have been grateful for throughout this year.

 

Manage Your Time, Don’t Overwhelm Yourself

Creating a schedule for the holidays can be helpful to manage your time. Allow yourself to have tasks every day that you can do to either meet deadlines or for self-care. Don’t schedule yourself too many tasks and make sure you feel good about it rather than overwhelmed. 

 

Be Realistic

When going into the holidays, always have realistic expectations. Hoping that everything is going to be perfect for the holidays is unrealistic. We must understand that it is okay if things don’t go exactly as we want and there will be some struggles along the way.

 

Set Boundaries

Family is definitely complex, and we have to set boundaries. We must accept the role we play within the family and that you can only control you. If you need to limit your time with your family, then do so.

 

Practice Relaxation

Breathing techniques, grounding, music, mediation, muscle relaxation, and yoga are all ways to practice relaxation. Take some time to refocus and reset.

 

Exercise Daily

Schedule time to get outside or to the gym and exercise. During the holidays, find things that can bring you joy with exercise. Puppy yoga? Dance class? Exercise can help release dopamine which can help you destress yourself.

 

Get Enough Sleep

Mental Health symptoms can be triggered due to not getting enough sleep. Try to make sure you are getting 8 hours of sleep a night.

 

Avoid Substances

Substances don’t reduce stress and they tend to worsen it. We think using is going to help us relax and avoid the feelings of the holidays, but it can cause more damage than good. If you are struggling with substance abuse, educate yourself and seek treatment.

 

Spend Time in Nature

There are a lot of studies out there that say spending time in nature helps to reduce stress. If you need to spend some time away from the family during the holidays, check out a local park or hiking trail.

 

Volunteer

The act of service can help us mentally feel better especially during the holidays. By helping people who are less fortunate, it can help you to feel less lonely or isolated. It can provide comfort and help you stay connected with others.

 

Have Support

Whether it is friends, family, a therapist or a support group, have support during the holidays. We know that it can be hard to get through the holidays and having someone you can reach out to if you need to talk and vent. If you are experiencing any crisis symptoms, contact the national suicide hotline - 988 or call 911. Please visit the local emergency room if symptoms become too unmanageable. 

5 Tip For Coping With Family Stress During The Holidays

 

The holidays are upon us all and we all know sometimes being around family this time of the year can be difficult and stressful. We all have a family get together and traditions that we do every year. Yes, for some this is fun and exciting but for many others it brings on nothing but stress. So going into this season it is good to start preparing yourself for what is to come. We have come up with a list of tips that can help to make the family gatherings less of a daunting task and something you can start to look forward to and enjoy!

1. Adjust Your Mindset.

If you go into the holidays thinking everything is going to be stressful or that you are going to be anxious the entire time, then that will be your outcome. There are so many times we have had our minds made up before we left the house to go somewhere and said it’s going to be a horrible time. Once we get the occasion it was better than we expected and wished we had a better mindset going in. Find ways to relax and focusing on the positive when getting with family. Is your favorite cousin who you haven’t seen in a long time going to be there this year? Is there an aunt who makes the best side dish or appetizer, and you can’t wait to indulge yourself? By lowering your stress, you can allow yourself to tolerate more and be less irritated during your time with family.

2. Have Realistic Expectations

We all have created this magical thinking that turns into unrealistic expectations. We are hoping things will go a certain way in a situation and that doesn’t happen. When dealing with family, we all have that one person who we know is going to bring up something that could tick us off. The problem is we can’t expect that person to change but we can change ourselves, meaning set a boundary and limit how much you are around that person.

3. Set Boundaries on Sensitive Topics

People bring up topics and start discussions without thinking about the people around them. For instance, "When are you guys going to have a baby?", others think it’s okay to ask but it can trigger you. How do we get through that? Plan to keep conversation off the topics as best as you can. If it gets brought up change the topic, ask the person what's new with them? You can also let them know you don’t want to discuss that topic at this time. They need to respect that. If they don’t then excuse yourself and find a place to ground yourself if you are feeling overwhelmed.

4. Use Radical Acceptance

You must learn to accept the things you have no control over which is your family. The only thing you can control is your reaction to your family. Sometimes if you know there is no changing the mindset of the other person it is easier to smile and nod and get out of the conversation. It's not worth the stress the family may cause when some of them you will only see once a year. Pick your battles!

5. Have A Plan

When going to family occasions for the holidays, come up with a plan to get through. If you are just stopping over to say hi then have an exit plan. Before getting to the gathering, figure out how long you are going to be staying if things are too much to handle. Having the exit plan can be helpful if you don’t want to stay at the event all night and you know when you get to leave. Also having a plan of coping strategies while visiting is always beneficial. If you are staying for an extended period of time, then make sure you are allowing yourself time to leave and be away from family while visiting. Have hometown friends to catch up with? Take some time throughout your time home to visit with others with whom you can enjoy their company.