When you think of the holidays, twinkling lights, hot cocoa, festive cheer, and time with friends and family come to mind. Too many people understand that the holidays typically bring about stress and pressure. Planning gatherings, hosting parties, and managing financial concerns are just a few things that come with the season. That’s why we recommend you take some time for self-care in order to nurture your mental, emotional, and physical well-being. 

What Is Self-Care?

In a nutshell, self-care is any action or effort that preserves or improves your overall health or wellbeing. That is especially true during periods of stress. Self-care is especially important during the holidays, as it balances the pressure you put on yourself or what others put on you to fulfill expectations. Create a buffer for yourself using self-care practices, which can look different for everyone. Some people may need a relaxing bath, while others may simply need to say no to holiday commitments. Consider the following self-care tips to have a stress-free holiday. 

Make Time For Movement

Physical activity, even if it is a brisk walk in the crisp winter air during your lunch break, is a great way to relieve stress. Find time to move in ways that are supportive to your body. Gentle movements, such as yoga or stretching, can be highly beneficial, especially if you sit all day for work. During time with family, spend time walking around the neighborhood and admire the lights.

Practice Positive Affirmations

A simple practice of saying positive affirmations for a couple minutes every day can help reinforce a sense of inner peace. You can also meditate for five minutes every day to help reduce stress and center yourself. Alternatively, practice gratitude by keeping a daily gratitude journal. Write down five things (big or small) that you are grateful for!

Set Healthy Boundaries

This tip applies to family or friends, because you should always do what is comfortable for you. Attend the number of events that you want, know your limits, and do not be afraid to communicate them with friends or families. Just remember that it is perfectly acceptable to turn down invitations or delegate tasks during chaotic times. 

Stay Hydrated

With all the hustle and bustle, you can easily forget to both eat and drink water. Drinking water throughout the day can help improve digestion, manage stress, prevent unnecessary snacking, and improve overall wellbeing. If you are not great about drinking water, carry a reusable water bottle with you at all times. You can even set alarms on your phone to remind yourself to drink more water. 

Stick To A Budget

Be mindful of what you can and cannot afford in order to reduce financial stress this holiday season. Plan your spending and stick to it! Use budgeting apps to help you avoid over-spending and remember that it is ultimately the thought behind the gift that means more than how much you spend. 

Take Social Breaks

Socializing can take a lot out of you, so it is no wonder that you feel exhausted after attending a party or gathering. It is essential to incorporate solitary quiet time to help you reconnect with yourself. Look for moments in your schedule where you can schedule solitude, even if it is only for 15 minutes. Consider meditating or doing your affirmations during this time as well. 

Express Emotions Openly

The holidays can stir up a mixture of emotions. Do not hold these feelings inside; rather, allow yourself the freedom to express what you are feeling, be it joy, sadness, stress, etc. Keep a journal or schedule a weekly call with someone you trust and can openly vent to. Sharing emotions with someone you trust can be incredibly relieving, so do not be afraid to seek support this holiday season.

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For most people, the holiday season brings relatives, glorious feasts, and the inescapable spending. They also bring fun in the snow (location dependent), hot cocoa and pumpkin spice, and family outings. That all sounds incredible, except for the fact that it usually comes with holiday stress.

On top of the stress that surrounds the holidays, the change in weather and daylight savings tends to induce seasonal affective disorder. That isn’t the case for everyone, but seasonal depression is a very real thing. What do you do to fight the holiday stress, then? Read on to learn about five mindful tips to help manage holiday stress and actually enjoy this season. 

Travel Smart

Do you plan to visit friends and family over the holidays? Holiday travel is quite busy, which is stressful in and of itself. Since you are probably never going to run into the person sitting next to you on the airplane, engage in a little relaxation by pampering yourself. Consider some under eye gel pads to help depute the eyes and provide moisture during travel on a dry plane. Planning ahead is also a great travel tip to reduce stress. Create a packing list and do you packing ahead of time, visualizing the necessities to prevent overpacking. Lastly, pack some hand sanitizer to fight germs and a reusable water bottle to stay hydrated during your flight.

Gift Yourself A Pampering Experience

Don’t simply limit yourself to an under eye gel pad on the airplane and call it day on self-pampering. Treat yourself to a relaxing experience, such as a massage, facial, or day at the spa using their services. If you want to experiment with a new service, try out acupuncture or cupping, as both of these therapies can help you decompress and release toxins. Feeling a bit more daring? Book a fire and ice therapy and alternate between an ice bath and an infrared sauna to help reduce inflammation and boost your mood. 

Plan Ahead

Whether you want to adhere to your diet, stay on top of your work, or keep stress at bay during the holidays, planning ahead is crucial. Maintain a clear calendar with festivities/events you want to attend, but schedule time for self-care as well. Make a list of all the people you want to buy gifts for, or plan out gifts you want to make for specific people. Pick out what outfits you have in your closet that can work with upcoming occasions. Make a mental note when those outfits need to come out, or if you need to bring them on a holiday trip. 

Drink Mindfully

Holidays are synonymous with celebrations and libations. If you drink alcohol and plan to drink during holiday functions, prepare yourself properly. Make sure to imbibe slowly and don’t mix with sugary sodas or juices. Additionally, it’s best to take vitamins C and B to help the body get ahead of recovery. Drink electrolytes the following morning, or even the same night, to aid the breakdown of alcohol. That can help your liver detox as you sleep. 

Reflect On The Year

Take the time at the end of the year to pat yourself on the back. You made it through another year, which is quite an accomplishment. Look back and see all that you did. Write down the things you are most proud of having done, how you grew as a person and the people you want to thank. Next, think of things you want to manifest in the New Year. Set intentions and go forth with fire! Journaling, or making a gratitude journal, at the end of the year is a great practice. It may even help you release whatever’s been stressing you out this season!

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The holiday season is a time of celebration, joy, connection, and inevitable stress. Busier schedules, elaborate meals, office parties, end-of-year projects, shorter days, and family dynamics can be quite overwhelming. All of these things can make it tricky to successfully navigate the holiday season. 

In an effort to help you eat wisely, prioritize mental health, and support your mood, we have a holiday survival guide. Hopefully, it helps you make it through the holiday season without burning out. You got this! 

Stress-Relieving Tips

Anyone who has encountered the holidays as an adult understands that stress is a real thing. Behavioral health experts encourage people to give themselves permission to simplify whenever possible. Are you being stretched too thin? Follow this self-care guide to keep your sanity this holiday season: 

• Set a spending plan because financial strain is one of the top causes of holiday stress and anxiety.
• Ask for help because there is no need to carry the weight of the holiday season alone. 
• Say “no” when you have to because saying “no” means that you are setting healthy boundaries. You do not have to attend every event. Take time for yourself to prevent a burnout.
• Take five minutes here and there to help reset yourself. Mindfulness practices such as deep breathing, journaling, or short walks can help reset the nervous system. 

Mental Health And The Holidays

The holidays can be a very joyful experience, but they can also bring about feelings of pain and loneliness. The “holiday blues” are very normal, whether you are managing a family conflict or dealing with your own loneliness. Having some coping mechanisms can help you understand when to seek care. When you find yourself in the darkness, use the following tips to help find some light:

• A short little walk outside goes a long way 
• Listen to music that makes you feel good and lifts your spirits
• Seek natural light, or utilize artificial light when necessary
• Experiment with a gratitude journal
• Try box breathing, meditation, or a yoga practice

If you notice that the holiday blues are not going away, or your symptoms are worsening, consider professional help. Persistent struggles may indicate a more significant situation, such as seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Talk to your care provider if:

• Grief feels overwhelming
• You think you may have SAD
• Stress or general sadness is affecting daily life
• Your child shows signs of anxiety
• You have difficulty maintaining regular eating patterns

Healthy Eating During The Holidays

The holidays are both a festive and glutenous time. Special meals, traditions, parties, and more inspire eating copious amounts of unhealthy foods. Instead of viewing your meals through a “naughty” or “nice” lens, focus on balancing your diet. Keep the following in mind when you enjoy meals with family or friends this holiday season. 

Keep Your Goals In Mind

In order to avoid going off the deep end during the holidays, registered dietitians encourage keeping health goals in mind. It’s easy to abandon everything and think that you will just “fix it” in the new year when resolutions are fresh. Don’t skip meals; rather, eat regularly during the day to avoid overeating. Focus on meals that are rich in lean protein, fiber, and healthy fats. Feel free to enjoy your holiday treats in moderation instead of restricting entirely. Allowing yourself to have some treats will keep you from overdoing it. Lastly, slow down and focus on enjoying what you are eating. Mindful eating can keep you on the healthy path!

Avoid The Food Morality Mindset

If you label foods as “junk” or “bad,” you can experience guilt, restriction, or overeating as a result. Food has no moral value and you do not need to earn or burn off holiday treats. Focus on memories associated with holiday foods. A pie is not typically healthy, but making the pie and eating it together is a joyous experience. Take a step back, consider the positives that come from different foods, and reshape how you think about those foods without moral judgment. 

Be Patient With Yourself And Loved Ones

The holidays can worsen eating disorder behaviors or triggers for a lot of people. This is not something to take likely, considering over 30 million Americans have suffered from an eating disorder at some point during their lives. The holidays can increase stress, trigger anxiety, and cause emotional strain, all of which increase these eating disorder symptoms. If you are concerned about yourself or a loved one, encourage open conversation and get help when necessary.

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A new poll from the American Psychiatric Association (APA) suggests that a dark cloud of stress is looming over the upcoming holiday season. Americans are sweating about the economy, so the stress is more amplified than in years past. The most recent Healthy Minds poll from the APA is just one out of a series of polls to track public sentiment on mental health issues year round. 

The latest results come from online interviews that the APA conducted. These interviews took place over two days (November 4th & 5th, 2025), and included more than 2,200 adults. There was a margin of error plus or minus two percentage points for these interviews. 

What Is The Biggest Overall Concern?

After analyzing the interviews, researchers found that 75% of all respondents stated that they are very or somewhat anxious about the economy. Close behind that number one concern was healthcare, with 71% saying that they are somewhat or very anxious about that. When the respondents were specifically asked about the upcoming holidays, 41% stated they anticipate more seasonal stress this year compared to years past. That percentage is a significant increase since 2024, which had 28%, and 2023, which had 23%. 

The report suggests that 48% of participants were most worried about missing a loved one or experiencing grief. About 46% of participants expressed worry about affording holiday gifts. Researchers noted that one-third of the participants cited concerns about family dynamics or feeling lonely. The poll concluded that one in five participants said that end-of-year holidays have a negative impact on their mental health. 

There Is A Bright Side

Nearly 50% of the participants said that the holiday season is a generally positive experience for their mental health. The experience of seeing family and friends, eating delicious food, and giving and receiving gifts were among the top activities participants looked forward to the most. And even though some people dread the holiday season, which can come with some level of stress, it is a time for familial connections, fun, and fellowship. Make the holiday season something to look forward to. After all, research shows that being future-oriented is positive for your mental health. 

These Results Do Not Surprise Experts

Mental health experts note that anxiety is one of the most commonly-experienced conditions for adults in the United States. For this reason, the results of the poll are not surprising. Political stress, toxic news cycles, and comparing oneself to unrealistic depictions seen on social media are just a few common causes of anxiety. Additionally, more people feel more comfortable now reporting their experience with anxiety, which also explains the increase in numbers from previous years. 

Holiday-induced anxiety can creep up around this time of year, regardless of whatever else is happening. Anxiety tends to show up subtly and may reveal itself through irritability, difficulty concentrating, or tension in the body. Those symptoms occur long before it becomes overwhelming. 

Can You Manage Holiday Stress? 

The best thing to do if you experience holiday stress is to ask for help. By seeking support from your family members or friends, you can help delegate tasks and lighten your emotional load. It’s also important to simplify your to-do list, as differentiating between necessary obligations and optional tasks can free up some time. Practice gratitude because that’s what the holiday season is truly about. People with regular gratitude practices, such as writing in a gratitude journal, tend to experience more positive physical and emotional benefits. Lastly, if anxiety is too intense or long-lasting, consider professional support. You do not need to tackle it alone, and even the act of seeking help tends to lift a little weight off your shoulders.

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For millions of Americans, Thanksgiving Day is a whirlwind of a day. It involves a lot of cooking time, a marathon of eating, and time spent with loved ones. Maybe you turn on the Macy’s parade or watch some football games before you pile on the calories. However you celebrate this holiday, one thing is for certain: about 70% of the American population feels stressed about the holiday’s arrival. 

Thanksgiving can induce stress for a variety of reasons. If you are in charge of cooking the meal, you have a lot of prep work today for the arrival of your guests. That can be quite stressful, but it’s also possible to feel anxiety or strong emotions about going to Thanksgiving dinner at a relative’s house. Maybe you had to take two flights and an Uber in peak holiday travel to make it. Perhaps you just have anxiety about aunts and uncles asking about your employment. Whatever the case, there are many things that can induce stress over this feast of a holiday. Fortunately, there are also strategies that can help you manage stress, and we detail them below.

Consume To Enjoy And Don’t Eat Your Feelings

The Thanksgiving spread is full of calorically dense, rich entrees, sides, and desserts. We are not here to dissuade a generally healthy person from an extra spoonful of gravy or an additional slice of pie. Are you enjoying an extra serving just to do so, or is a fully loaded second plate your way of coping with feelings of stress or anxiety? Overeating and over-drinking are unhealthy coping mechanisms that are all too common around the holidays. Consume festive food with people out of merriment, not to bury negative feelings. 

Set Boundaries

If you want to avoid stress and anxiety around Thanksgiving, or any holiday celebration with family, make sure to set boundaries regarding certain discussion topics. For whatever reason, there is always one family member that likes to stir the pot. Perhaps they bring up who they voted for or what their foreign policy opinions are. There will likely be a lot of election anxiety, as a result of the aftermath, and opinions are stronger than ever. Set a boundary by sending a loving email requesting that everyone leave their political opinions at the door for Thanksgiving. Request that you do not want to talk about any religious, socioeconomic, or other issues that are touchy subjects. Keep the conversation light-hearted and loving to keep stress levels down.

Embrace Gratitude

There is great power in gratitude. Being thankful for things that are good in life, even the smallest things, can lead to mental health improvements. According to one analysis of 70 studies, there is an association between higher levels of gratitude and lower levels of depression. The same report found that reaffirming gratitude for 15 minutes per day, five times per week, can enhance mental awareness. A separate meta-analysis of 64 randomized trials found that participants who underwent gratitude interventions experienced fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression. Try your best to express gratitude on a day that represents being thankful. If you do not wish to speak your feelings of gratitude out loud with family, consider writing in a gratitude journal and reflect on it around Christmas or the New Year. 

Be Mindful Of Your Triggers

There are certain people and situations that just seem to push your buttons like no other. This is especially true during the holiday season. As you enter Thanksgiving, be mindful of this and recognize your potential triggers before you encounter them. That way, you can practice coping skills and prepare how you will react to those triggers. You can reframe your thoughts, employ progressive muscle relaxation, or use breathing techniques to help reduce anxiety and stress. A few common triggers are:

• Excessive crowds in shopping centers and grocery stores
• Travel issues, including flight delays and accommodation struggles
• Issues that come about when you host Thanksgiving
• Interactions and disagreements with certain family members

Exercise

Fatigue and laziness often accompany Thanksgiving stress and anxiety. Stave off your lethargy by incorporating or increasing exercise into the days leading up to the big feast. You are not trying to burn extra calories so that you can eat more; rather, the goal of exercising is to promote mental wellness. Exercise helps to trigger a brain-body response through the healthy release of dopamine. When you exercise outdoors, that dopamine release is combined with an increase in serotonin, a feel-good neurotransmitter that may help reduce anxiety and stress.

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To embrace the self for all of its attributes, whether mental or physical, and negative or positive, is self-acceptance. It’s possible for someone to struggle to accept certain qualities of the self from time to time. That is especially true in a time when it’s very easy to compare the self to everything that is happening on social media or popular culture. Perhaps trauma from childhood also makes it difficult to extend compassion to the self. Whatever the case, accepting who you are is vital for overall happiness and well-being. 

Self-Acceptance For Psychological Health

If you have low self-acceptance, your psychological health may suffer. The incapability to fully accept yourself can put you at a higher risk for experiencing symptoms of anxiety and depression. Some research notes that rejecting negative qualities about yourself can cause you to fixate on those attributes, which encourages negative self-talk. Some examples of negative self-talk include:

• “I’m such a failure.”
• “I’m not good enough.”
• “That person is so smart and I could never be like that.”

Negative statements such as the ones listed above can cause you to lose feelings of hope and self-worth, and increase feelings of anxiety and sadness. When you can finally accept yourself, even the qualities that you may not be proud of, you retain more control of your emotions. That means that self-acceptance may help prevent anxiety and depression, provided you put the work in. 

How To Practice Self-Acceptance 

Self-acceptance sounds easy, right? Like anything, practice makes perfect, but you have to know where to start. Below, we’ll take a look at three techniques that will help you practice self-acceptance. 

Keep A Gratitude Journal

Do you ever find yourself ruminating about things that went wrong during the day? Don’t dwell on negativity or negative qualities, unless you want to spiral out of control. Shift to a more positive mindset by keeping a journal, or even writing notes on your phone. A great daily practice to help foster a more positive mindset is to write down five things that you are grateful for. When you focus on the positive, you start to reduce feelings of negativity. This practice helps you accept yourself more mindfully. 

You Are A Work In Progress

The great part of being human is that you can always learn new things. When starting a new hobby or learning a new skill, it is natural to not be very good at it. You are just starting and there is a learning curve! Maybe you decide to participate in a baking class and notice that your classmates have baked perfect cookies. You look at your oven and you see that your cookies are burned. Don’t let negative thoughts like, “I’m such a terrible baker,” enter your mind. You can return to class and should not be discouraged by a small setback. Tell yourself that you are a work in progress, so that you can better handle your thoughts. You can always try again! Don’t expect to be perfect on the first go-around, or else you will wind up spiraling into negativity.

Look At Your Experiences From A Different Perspective

Do you find yourself thinking about an event, emotion, or experience that brings about feelings of unhappiness? Look at the situation from a different perspective in an attempt to find a silver lining. There is nothing wrong with viewing the glass half full! Maybe you get dressed up to go out and take a sip of a drink that you spill all over your shirt/dress/top. Now that’s a frustrating experience, but you don’t need to add fuel to the fire and make it more frustrating. Instead, find the positive or talk to a friend about what just happened to get a little more perspective on the matter. If you remain stuck in your feelings, you look at things too negatively. Find a fresh take on the subject and you may notice things that you didn’t before that help you accept yourself.

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Even though something like stress is considered normal, it isn’t necessarily beneficial for your health. Sure, stress is healthy at times. It’s a hardwired survival technique, the body’s fight or flight response, during which you mobilize to take action in a dangerous situation. The body triggers the release of hormones that engage that fight or flight response when it perceives danger, making the body adept at responding to real emergencies. 

The problem is when the nervous system cannot distinguish between real danger and perceived danger. For example, real danger is a tiger chasing you, while perceived danger is a work presentation. But stress is highly common in modern day life, and it can negatively affect physical and mental health, leading to one or more of the following symptoms:

• Mood issues, including depression and anger
• Stomach cramps, nausea, and reflux
• Fatigue
• Difficult sleeping
• Decreased immunity and ability to heal from illness
• Disrupted hunger cues and increased fat storage
• Low libido
• Increased blood pressure

Practice Mindfulness

A lot of people find that mindfulness, more specifically mindful meditation, is a solution for stress. Mindfulness is not solely reserved for meditation, though. It’s possible to develop a regular mindfulness practice to help keep stress levels down. You can actively engage in a mindfulness walk, for example, for 15-20 minutes per day. Don’t have that much time? Consider a daily five-minute mindful meditation session to improve resilience when stressful times come. 

Keep A Gratitude Journal

Establishing a gratitude practice can benefit your physical, emotional, and mental health. Stress relief is a common benefit of practicing gratitude, as listing things that you are grateful for can put things into perspective. It’s a great practice to write five to 10 things you are grateful for (big or small) every morning. You may find that this practice helps you sleep better as well. 

Have Fun

If you only work and never play, you will eventually stress out. It’s common to forget to slow down and enjoy yourself, given the fast-paced nature of life these days. You don’t necessarily have to engage in a “fun” activity; rather, it can be something as simple as playing with your dog, taking a dance class, or carving out time to watch an episode or two of your favorite TV show. Just make sure that you have fun doing whatever you decide to do. 

Stay Active

More people are sedentary now than ever before. They either work at home or in an office while sitting, commute in a seated position, and then sit for the remainder of the evening. Are there people who break this mold and remain active? Yes, absolutely, but more people need to engage in regular physical activity. Regular moderate-intensity physical exercise can help fight stress and anxiety in the long-term. Researchers note that sweating through exercise is one of the best ways to remove excess cortisol (the stress hormone) from the bloodstream. 

Sleep Well

This can be difficult to do, especially if sleep is something that causes you stress. Since sleep is the body’s way of recharging, it is necessary for optimal physical and mental health. Proper sleep can also build the resiliency necessary for managing stress. Failure to get enough sleep on a regular basis can amplify your stress and decrease your ability to cope with it. That said, chronic stress can make sleeping very difficult, be it falling asleep or staying asleep. Too much cortisol in the bloodstream can cause nighttime wakings. The solution is to remove excess cortisol via some of the methods detailed in this article. 

Try Legs Up The Wall Pose

Yoga is a great low-impact exercise that can promote stress reduction. Certain poses, such as legs up the wall, are considered to be stress-relieving poses. It is exactly what it sounds like: you lay on your back and prop your legs up against the wall, which actually promotes circulation from the lower legs back to the heart. During this pose, you can enhance the relaxation by engaging in deep breathing, meditation, or another form of self-care. Consider a gratitude mantra while you stay in this pose for five to 20 minutes. 

The 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Method

Need to ground yourself during periods of anxiety? You can employ the 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 technique if you direct your focus to the present moment. It can help ground you, making you feel less anxious or worried. Practice the method as follows:

• Identify 5 things you can see
• Pinpoint 4 things you can touch
• Notice 3 things you can hear
• Identify 2 things you can smell
• Find 1 thing you can taste

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Do you regularly see the downside of everything? Are you in a constant battle with negativity? You are not alone! Many people tend to have a negative bias, which means that they feel or notice negative things more frequently and intensely than positive things. For example, a person could experience a string of positive things and focus on the one negative thing to ruin their day. 

How Do You Stop Focusing On Negative Things?

As always, don’t be too hard on yourself. Everyone has the ability to think negatively at any time, but having self-compassion can help shift those negative thoughts in a more positive direction. Regulating your emotions after relishing in negativity for so long, however, can be a little difficult. It may take some time to shift your mindset into a more positive light. Over time, though, you can practice strategies and experience improvement in your mental outlook. Continue reading to learn more about them. 

Check Your Attribution Style

The world is not responsible for all of your woes, and the things you do actually matter in life. Mental health experts characterize this negative view as “external attribution.” Basically, this means that you have given up control of your own life, which will only make you feel worse in the long run. In order to get out of this mindset, think of things you do have control over. Every single person has control over some things in life, so identify what those things are for you and you may be able to get out of your own way. Not every bad thing in life is your fault, and you shouldn’t put yourself through that emotional stress!

Make Positive Concepts More Accessible 

The brain prefers to go with what is familiar, easier, and quicker because it requires less mental energy. In order to undo all the negativity that’s been intricately spun in your mind, you have to do your best to make positive concepts more familiar to the brain. One potential way to do this is to develop a positive word of the day, similar to an affirmation. You can also memorize a series of positive words every morning and ask yourself to recall them at night before bed. Although there is no research that necessarily identifies positive regions of the brain, strengthening the connections between positive concepts and your ability to generate positive thoughts and emotions can make it easier to repeat that habit. 

Generate Positivity With Your Imagination

If you struggle with negativity, you are probably an expert at imagining negative things. Forcing yourself to imagine positive things or images can change this pattern. It’s similar to the exercise of thinking of positive words, which we mentioned earlier. Give it a go and try imagining positive things, such as eating your favorite food, seeing your favorite person, or going to your favorite place. 

Practice Gratitude

There are many health benefits, both physical and mental, you reap when you practice daily gratitude. This is a practice that makes it easier to focus on the good things and accept the bad things as they are. In order to practice gratitude, try writing down things you are grateful for in a gratitude journal. These don’t have to be big or elaborate things, either. You can be grateful for having food in your fridge, a car that works without issues, or a beautiful partner in life. When you notice all of the good things you have in life, you can shift your focus away from negativity. 

Deconstruct Your Negativity

If you can deconstruct a sandwich to class it up, you can do the same with your negative thoughts. Whenever you encounter a bout of negativity, it is very easy to see the external causes of those emotions. Rarely do you recognize the internal causes, though. The fact of the matter is that your thoughts have just as much (potentially more) to do with your negativity than your situation. You create your own reality and in order to deconstruct how your thoughts fuel negativity, engage in the following self-reflections:

• Do you tend to think that everything will turn out terrible? 
• Do you devalue or ignore positive things that happen?
• Do you only notice the bad things without glancing at the good?

If you answered “yes” to any of those questions, try to shift your thoughts in ways that increase positivity. In order to do that, use the following questions to shift your focus away from the negative:

• How could the situation turn out better than expected?
• What are the positive components of this situation?
• What makes the positive things in this situation valuable?

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It’s that time of year again, when the holidays are in full swing and the end of the year is approaching. Before you get ahead of yourself, don’t start stressing about the new year. Enjoy the holidays, and then you can start to plan what you’ll do when January 1st approaches. 

A lot of people want to lose weight, eat better, and exercise regularly at the beginning of the year. Weight loss and diet resolutions always top the list, but seldom do people follow through with those goals. Gyms in January look a lot different than they do in March, specifically regarding crowds. The reason that many people give up on their resolutions is because the goals are too lofty, and there is no plan in place. To make “weight loss” your resolution is a nice idea, but there is no structure. Instead, it’s better to say, “I want to lose five pounds in January,” for example. 

The new year isn’t just about exercise and dieting, though. One of the best things to incorporate into your “new year new you” plan is self-care. One could argue that the new year is the perfect time to start fresh with self-care. Self-care is not just bubble baths and time spent reading in a nook. Those things fall into the self-care category, but there is a lot more you can do for your mental health. To prepare you for a successful January, we’ve outlined a list of self-care ideas you can do before the year ends. Let us know if you engage in them before the New Year!

Enjoy Those Holiday Treats

Yes, you should have your holiday cake, and eat it too! Be mindful about the treats you eat, focusing on thoroughly enjoying the couple that you looked forward to all year. You do not have to completely lose all self-control and abandon dietary restrictions, but you should allow yourself to enjoy the holidays without guilt. There is enough guilt to be had from family!

Get Your Home In Order

Holiday clutter is a real thing, and it only builds on any preexisting mess(es) you had in your home. There is no greater feeling than entering the new year with a clean and tidy home. Although cleaning can feel like a chore, it is actually a form of self-care. Even if the actual cleaning process is not enjoyable, the feeling of a clear space helps to boost your mood. That puts you in a great mental space to start the year off right.

Create A New Year Playlist

Listening to music is beneficial on so many levels. It can lift your spirits, amp you up, bring you down, and turn you inside out. Whether you need to pump yourself up or rest and recharge, music can benefit your situation. We recommend that you create a playlist of songs that get you pumped up and motivated to tackle your New Year’s resolutions.

Gratitude For The Year

It can be beneficial to reflect on the year and write down all the things you are grateful for. There is power in gratitude! Sure, there were most likely moments of negativity, stress, or other low points, but good things and highs also happened. Focus on being grateful and flood your mind with positivity. If this ends up being a practice that you enjoy, consider practicing daily gratitude, during which you write down a couple small things you are grateful for every day. 

Move For The Sake Of Movement

Exercise and self-care go hand in hand because you always tend to feel better when you move your body. You don’t have to push yourself to the point of throwing up; rather, a neighborhood walk, playing with your kids in the park, riding your bike, or jumping rope are all great forms of movement. Move your body because it deserves to move! Dance like nobody’s watching, as they say. Consider taking a new class, such as Zumba or Pilates. Find your groove and carry that motivation into the new year. 

Set Your Goals Or Make A Vision Board

This may not be useful for everyone, but it can be for those who love personal development. Spend a day mapping out your goals, hopes, and dreams before the start of the year. We do not recommend doing this once 2025 arrives. Planning out your goals can be very helpful to your future self. Additionally, nothing says self-care quite like planning out the goals you want to achieve or things to happen in the year to come.

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Isn’t it wild that fall is nearly here? Before you know it, we’ll have to gear up for winter. For now, though, you get to prepare for the changing of leaves, sweater weather, and pumpkin spice lattes. Well, maybe don’t enjoy too many of those lattes because they are quite fattening and heavily sweetened. 

Fall and winter tend to be associated with unhealthy lifestyle habits, but you don’t have to fall into that trap. The stress of the holidays, long days out shopping and eating, and party after party all contribute to weight gain. Additionally, the hustle and bustle of fall and winter events can interfere with wellness rituals that you develop over summer. Fortunately, there are habits that keep you healthy during the fall. You don’t have to do anything crazy; rather, a few changes can make all the difference during this cozy time of year. 

Do Some Yoga

There’s nothing like escaping the world after a long, stressful day. Rather than plopping down on the couch to veg out in front of the TV all night, take 30 minutes to an hour to practice a yoga routine. At the day’s end, yoga can help put your mind at ease, helping you focus on the present moment. Take it one step further and commit to engaging in a yoga practice at least twice a week during the fall. You can do a routine in your house or head to a yoga studio if you prefer hot yoga or other varieties. Not only does it keep the body moving and strengthen your core, but it also helps you be more mindful and may even relieve stress or promote better sleep.

Spend More Time Outside

It sounds strange to suggest an outdoor setting when the weather gets colder, but being outside does wonders for your physical and mental health. According to research, spending time outdoors helps reduce stress and improve mood. If you have a dog, let that beautiful, sweet creature be your motivation. Walking for 30 minutes a day has been shown to help regulate bowel movements, reduce stress, contribute to weight loss, and boost your mood. Plus, being outside after being in an indoor 9-5 environment helps you recharge the batteries. Make the outdoors a priority and your mental health will thank you. 

Cook One-Pot Meals

A one-pot meal is exactly what it sounds like: you cook everything in one pot. Not only do one-pot meals epitomize comfort food, but they also make kitchen cleanup a lot easier. One-pot meals include soups, stews, pastas, and more. A one-pot meal can also be made in a slow cooker or Instant Pot. Using a slow cooker can take the stress out of making dinner when you get home. Simply throw all of the ingredients in the slow cooker in the morning, program the settings, and then go about your day. Dinner is ready when you get home!

Consider A Vitamin D Supplement

There is a vitamin D problem in the United States, the problem being that too many people are deficient in this nutrient. Given that the days are shorter and you most likely spend more time inside during the fall and winter, taking a vitamin D supplement can counteract the lack of sun exposure. Vitamin D helps control blood sugar, boost immune function, and aid with calcium absorption. Additionally, vitamin D has also exhibited an ability to help reduce anxiety and depression. Before you go out and purchase a vitamin D supplement, though, talk with your doctor about which supplement is best and what the right dosage is for you. 

Care For Your Skin

Your summer skin care routine may need to change with the onset of the fall season. The air gets drier and indoor heating switches on. It’s the reverse of summer, which exhibits hot and humid outdoor temperatures and dry, air-conditioned indoor environments. Consider switching to a rich moisturizer to keep your skin soft and smooth. Emollients and humectants are great ingredients that help lock moisture into your skin. Lastly, remember to wear sunscreen if you’ll be out during the day. Even though the days aren’t as sunny, the sun’s UV rays can still affect your skin, increasing the risk of skin cancer. 

Above all else, don’t forget to practice gratitude during this time of year. Gratitude can help you maintain your relationships and establish a healthier lifestyle. Consider writing down one thing that you’re grateful for every day to help shift your mind from negative to positive.

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The post 5 Lifestyle Tips To Have A Healthier Fall appeared first on Dherbs - The Best All Natural Herbal Remedies & Products.