How to Be More Consistent With Your Health During the Holidays

Be More Consistent With
Your Health During the Holidays

I wanted to share as I wondered the same thing as I sat with a feeling. I just came off being sick. Sick for several weeks. Exhausted and tired, I had a fever, then bronchitis symptoms, adding in sore throat, more coughing, and more phlegm, and it stuck with me for weeks. But I got better once I saw the Dr, and she yelled at me for having it go “untreated for weeks” – I just hoped it would go away, ha, I guess not. I did not know what the feeling was. Still, I was not in my standard headspace, feeling inspired, lacking motivation, and frankly, I had zero motivation towards anything—basically, lacking consistency.

I talked to a friend who explained this feeling is quite normal at this time of year. You might be feeling this way too. I know I am. Year-end brings on a ton of known and unknown emotions. During this time of year, we experience the emotions of closing out a year. We look back on what we did or did not accomplish, whether it was a good or tough year, all the events the year contained and did not contain, along with the entire year’s emotions. All while a new year, new opportunities, vision, strategies, plans, and the pressure to successfully plan and kick off the new year (correctly). At the same time, balance everything that goes along with the holidays, shopping, parties, traveling, expenses, and closing out year-end finances. That’s enough to make anyone confused, stressed, numb, and inconsistent without understanding the why or how.

For whatever reason, that is me this year, all of it. I am trying to find consistency for my health in the chaos, and I wanted to share some of the things I am doing/using to manage the year’s end and my health in hopes if you are feeling the same, it helps you too.

My Core 10 For Consistency

1. Making sure I recognize the place I am in and giving the conversation with my friend value. It’s an honest admit.

2. Picking a process, habit, or pattern that doesn’t set me up for failure. I am not doing anything too difficult to stick to. Something too tough this time of the year only adds stress and has a high risk of failure. I don’t need a momentum stopper.

3. I am accountable to only myself. If I give my word, I honor it. My father told me two of the things no one can take from you are your education/experiences and your word. They are a piece of your identity and character. When it comes to your word, only you can give it up. Under no circumstances are you to give up your word; that will change your character.

4. Do Enough. Do not do too little or too much, do enough. That pertains to my nutrition, my workouts and anything for that matter. Too much and too little will add stress and create patterns/results that must be undone or corrected. That is not the way to end and go into a new year. Do enough for me, not what others are doing, but what I need to do specifically for ME.

5. Mindset: I am different and a leader. Because others are doing it doesn’t mean I need to be. I have my own standards by which I live. I stand out more because I concentrate on what is important to me rather than fitting in.

6. Control what I can control. Commit to thinking positive thoughts. Immediately catching negative thoughts and making them positive, eating to create results; negative or positive, and moving to stay strong and healthy.

7. Commit to 8,000 steps daily and 4 to 5 workouts weekly-not high stress workouts. I want to feel good about completing them rather than annoyed to start. Any workouts-I am doing total body workouts and some spinning. I am not on a plan.

8. Make an effort to deepen relationships that are important to me, that help build the momentum of positive energy and focus on the habits as well as patterns that are important to me.

9. When in doubt about my food, choose a single ingredient to eat.

10. Don’t be weak. Don’t complain and handle the end of the year like a champion. I understand no one will do anything for me. I know what I need to do-do it. Take action-move on. Inconsistency is an act of weakness, not strength. Be strong.

As you close out your year, while chaos surrounds you, have success in your search for consistency to your wellness fulfillment. Don’t be too rough on yourself; we are all in the same boat; managing year-end chaos while trying to have some level of a Fit Identity.