Sustainability Throughout The Holidays

Sustaining oneself:

The holidays have such great potential for offering poignant moments times for insight, re-connection and self-reflection.  

There is potential – which isn’t often utilized.  

This time of year, we find ourselves mercy to the limited daylight, cooler temperatures and unreliable weather.  Which in and of itself wouldn’t be a challenge but when you add in pressures (both external and internal) on creating the “perfect” this that or the other thing for this that or other person, you’re adding in a real element of difficulty.  Let’s not even use the term perfect…how about just significant. You are still putting a lot of stock in in the other party’s subjective interpretation of the gravity of your efforts and you may often be let down.

Who’s to blame?  

The other person for not appreciating your work?

You for setting high (see unrealistic) expectations?

Our media/society for creating these unrealistic expectations?  

Sorry, I’ve got no idea...  

What I do know, and what I have experienced is that these types of situations, combined with forced social interaction, too much loudmouth soup, and inclement weather on top of your regular day to day responsibilities sets a person up for a big letdown.  Colds/flu, disappointments, hurt feelings, arguments, grudges and the like are often par for the course.

But we do it.

Year, after year, after year…

That is not working to self-sustain.  This is not self-care At least that’s how I feel.  

So what to do…what to do…?

Well, I scale it back 

Bad weather hits and you can’t get the Christmas Lights up.  Don’t worry about it – lights don’t make the season, they simply augment it.  

Can’t make that after hours mingler (of which there could be one every night starting in late November).   It’s not that big of a deal. Do what you can and take care of yourself – overextending limits your internal resources (see big let down).     

I relinquish some control

Grandparents buy the grand kids the most toxic, packing riddled, single use plastic infested love and leave toy for your kids (despite your best wishes).  Let it happen and breathe and let it go. (This is a hard one.). These instances are few and far between.

Re-frame Situations

When inevitably enter into events, interactions, etc., that you would rather not be part of, take some advice that my psychologist provided some time ago: Ask yourself this question, “am I doing my best to enjoy (the company of my friends, family, companion, partner, pet, etc.).  It’s funny that asking this question has really helped me to flip a switch.

Ultimately take care of yourself.  Not in a self-centered manner but in a self-care manner.  Caring for yourself and others is what can make or break the season…

 

 

 

 

Chad Zelensky is the owner of Lowen's Skin Care. All-Natural, organic and locally sourced skin care. Lowen's products are incredible and even packaged in reclaimed destined for landfill packaging. We love Lowen's!