Posted: December 8, 2017 Contributor: administrator

Practicing Body Positivity During the Holidays

‘Tis the season to spread love and cheer—especially to yourself! With all of the stress of crowds and family gatherings, mixed with increased access to wine, chocolates, and gluttonous holiday meals—it can be easy to lose sight of how amazing you are. Don’t let the stresses of the holidays give you an excuse to beat yourself up—practice these body positivity hacks throughout the season.

Tips for practicing self-love this holiday season

– Mantras: Whatever you think, you become. Before you hit the peak of the holidays, write down and memorize at least three uplifting truths about yourself. If or when you hit a rough patch throughout the holidays (or life in general), repeat these truths back to yourself until your mind is at peace. With mantras, you’ll always be equipped with the truth, even when you start to second guess yourself.
– Do what you love: We know, visiting the town you grew up in can be quite the stressor – add in relatives badgering you about your personal life and you’ve got a recipe for tension. Balance out by continuing to do the things you love. If this means bringing your yoga mat along for the trip, finding the nearest hike to explore, or curling up with your favorite book – do it. Be sure to find the time to do what you enjoy, it’ll take a lot of the pressure off.
– Change your perspective: When you’re beginning to feel the results of the season on your body, appreciate it. Instead of thinking about how tired you are, think about how strong your body has been to keep up with your holiday plans. In the end, your body is capable of amazing things – focus on that instead of resorting to negative self-talk.
– Be mindful: There tends to be a lot going on during the holiday season, whether it’s traveling, reuniting with old friends, or fighting crowds at the mall. While it will take some conscious practice, do your best to remain mindful of your thoughts throughout –what you are thinking of yourself and Loving and accepting others is a huge part of being comfortable with yourself and negative thoughts translate.

Be kind to yourself

Most importantly, free yourself of guilt. So you treated yourself to that second serving or indulged in that extra piece of pie…that’s okay! As long as you are having a good time with the people you love, that’s all that matters.