Hello! The holidays are fast approaching, and for many people this means lots of feelings for lots of reasons. The holiday season is often full of hustle and bustle. During this time, it is easy to lose sight of what is important and forget to take time for ourselves. I keep Cecilia Tran's quote "Self-care means giving yourself permission to pause" in mind during this time of year as a reminder that slowing down is ok.

Here are 5 techniques I use to keep myself afloat in the chaos...

1. Time management- create a list of to-dos and write in a calendar when you will get these things accomplished.

2. Budgeting- for gifts, meal planning, decorations, gas and hotel money for travel

3. Boundaries- it's ok to say no (what would it be like to say "No, I cannot do that this year" to something that adds excess stress?).

4. Routine- I try and keep at least some routine to my day and week to feel like there is normalcy.

5. Writing a list of things I am grateful for and keeping it near me as a reminder.

6. Setting up plans I want to prioritize- I plan ahead for specific people I know I want to see. I will call/email/text and set up time to celebrate with them.

7. Covid concerns- remembering that you and others may have different levels of comfort regarding social gatherings. It is ok for you (and others) to set boundaries about what they are and are not willing to attend.

Thanks for reading and being in connection with me,

Steph