Welcome to The Holiday Sanity Blog Tour, 20 days of tips, tools, techniques, and perspectives from me (and 19 other coaches) with LOVE this holiday season. I’m so excited to be a part of this tour and connect with a group of like-minded coaches that have such a passion for helping others.

When Megan Hale & Jenn Scalia shared their vision for this blog tour with me, I knew I wanted to be a part of it because I know what it’s like to go through the crazy hustle & bustle of the holidays and end up in total overwhelm.  From the gifts you have to buy, to getting the house ready for guests, and doing everything else in between, this time of peace, joy, and happiness can often leave us feeling like a big ball of nerves with nothing but, stress and exhaustion.

In fact, as I type this, I am eyeballing the gifts to be wrapped, the boxes to be mailed, and the holiday cards that need to be sent and am feeling the stress big time.

So what can you do to ensure you remain sane (and dare I say relaxed) this holiday season?

Well, I have found a few simple things that have worked for me in the past and they are things that I am reminding myself of this holiday season.  And it all comes down to one thing…Self-Care.

As women, it can be hard to take time out of our busy schedules to focus on what we want and what we need on a regular day, not to mention during the holiday season, but it is imperative to ensure we are able to enjoy what this time of year brings.

You might be wondering how you can squeeze a little bit of time for yourself in when there is so much to be done?

Here’s how:

• Put yourself first. This is by far one of the hardest things for us to do as women (and if you are a wife and mother too, this might be even more difficult for you to do), because we are so used to putting ourselves last.  We take care of work, the kids, the spouse, the house, etc. and leave our needs on the back burner until we have…more time.  We all know that more time never comes, so learning to put yourself first is key.  You can’t take care of anyone or anything if you don’t first care for yourself.  This can be as simple as getting in a bit of yoga before anyone wakes up or reading a good book in the tub at the end of the day.  Whatever it is, make your self-care your top priority and I assure you everything else will get done.

• Create a ritual.  The thing about self-care is that it’s not a one-time or one-season deal.  We always have to be aware of creating the time and space to take care of ourselves and the best way to do that is to create a ritual or a habit that is easy for you to stick to.  This can take some experimenting to get totally clear, but it is 100% worth it.  To start, think of the things you love doing.  If you love to meditate or do yoga, how can you work that into your days/weeks with ease? What can you do add a bit more fun and flow into your day starting say…today? A self-care ritual doesn’t have to be complex, but it does need to resonate and feel good for you.  So figure out what you would love more of in your days and weeks and start doing that now!

• Remember the magic of the season…and let go of the perfection. Part of the stress that comes during this time of year is based out of our distraction from what the season is really about.  As we struggle to make things ‘perfect’ by getting the home and gifts just right and we race to beat the clock for various deadlines, we miss the joy in the season.  The twinkling lights, the fun Christmas music, the holiday movies, and the laughter and fun that comes with spending time with family and friends.  Trying to make everything perfect is often the #1 way to get to exhaustion, overwhelm, and disappointment.  Let go a bit and let the holiday season be perfectly imperfect.  Your family would much rather spend time with YOU than see you run by in a flash trying to get everything done.  It’s time to enjoy yourself this season!

• Mandatory F.U.N. I get it, you don’t have time for fun because you have approximately 1,342,343 things to do on your list! But, having a bit of fun is the best way I know how to ease up a little and take care of you.  When was the last time you had a good old fashioned game night or spent time with the kids playing the snow?  Remember that feeling you had as a kid when the holidays rolled around?  Get back to that feeling and enjoy yourself.  The years fly by enough on their own, there is no need to rush them along because you are stressing to get things done.  Kick up your heels and have a good laugh.  It’s good for the mind and the soul.

• Create some space.  My last suggestion for giving yourself the gift of self-care is creating some extra space in your calendar and your days.  Spend some time alone, reflecting on the day and the year that is coming to an end.  You might choose to go for a walk on your own, meditate for a bit, or write in your gratitude journal, but whatever you choose to do, make sure you create some sacred time & space to do it…for you.  This time will allow you to create some space for you to take a few deep breaths and be fully present in the moment.  In fact, try that now as you read this.  Just close your eyes and breathe for a moment.  Now, doesn’t that feel better?

Taking care of yourself during the holiday season and beyond is the key to a happy life.  If you aren’t caring for yourself, you can’t possibly be of service to anyone else.  Enjoy the holidays for what they are, a time of sharing, caring, and love for one another and remember that love starts with you.

I’ve had so much fun connecting to so many amazing coaches who are passionate about helping others.  I’d love for you to have access to the rest of the tour so you don’t miss out on this valuable resource.

Make sure to sign up here for The Holiday Sanity Blog Tour updates and check out Shelley Davidescu’s post from yesterday and Jenev Caddell’s post tomorrow.

As always, I wish you love, joy, and lots of happiness especially through the Holidays!

P.S. Speaking of holidays! If you haven’t already, please check out my Post-Holiday Giveaway that I am hosting now until December 30th.  Check out what is available here and sign up to win.