A Mom’s Guide To a More Peaceful Holiday Season in 4 Simple Steps
Hey Momma! It’s fall...and, things are about to get busy!
It happens every year- school starts and we think we will finally have a hot minute to catch up on life but in reality, if you have school-age kids things are just ramping up and it will stay full through the Holiday season.
I’ve been having conversations with many of my clients about how to make the fall more peaceful, and from those conversations, these are the areas of life I want you to check in with.
Life doesn’t have to be chaos and full of craziness. But in order to get to that place, it will require some intentionality on your part.
(If you would like a tool to help you quickly identify what changes would serve you best, you can get The Healthy Mom Method Assessment here.)
The 4 Areas Of Life To Keep In Check For a More Peaceful Fall:
Focus on your health NOW
Get organized
Guard your calendar with your life
Make some Holiday decisions ahead of time
1. Focus on your health now!
Momma, your health is your greatest asset. Without it you are not able to do life in the way you want. So as we head into the fall, what are 2-3 things you can do to prioritize your health?
This doesn’t mean you need to go on a crazy diet or make it a huge deal, simple changes that last are the best thing you can do. I’d encourage you to start by committing to drinking 80-100oz of water a day, get the number of hours of sleep that you feel your best at, and aim for 8-10k steps a day.
Keep it simple. If you are already hitting those goals then you can take it to the next level if you wish. Add in strength training or swap a food that isn’t serving you for a healthier option.
There is nothing magical about January that makes it possible to get healthy. Life-long health stems from daily decisions that add up over time to help you feel your best.
If you want to be present to those you love in this season, then show up for yourself. Decide today to show up for your January self as someone who took care of herself through the fall.
Get support if you need it. I have plenty of clients that lose weight over the fall. There is no set rule that you have to gain weight over the holidays, even if studies say the average American gains 5-15 pounds. You are not average!
2. Get Organized
What can you do now to get things more organized as you go into this season? I am not the queen of organization, but even so, I can still do things to support my environment to feel more peaceful.
Ask yourself where you are feeling most overwhelmed? Is it with the household chores, meals, kid’s sports events, shopping?
Pick one area to start with that you feel if you had a little support would free up energy…
One example is that I use the meal service, Hello Fresh, in the fall. I have 3 kids in sports and I want to go to games and be present for all of it. By having meals delivered I save time shopping and deciding what we will be eating. I don’t do this year-round, but in this season it’s a huge help to me.
This is where you get to decide what your time/energy is worth. Would you rather do it all yourself or pay a little to free up time? There is no right or wrong way, you just have to decide what works for you and your family.
If it’s your house that is bothering you the most, set a 2-hour timer and tackle the 1-2 areas that are most needing attention. Then quickly donate or trash what you don’t need. Don’t let the bag(s) sit in the garage for months on end! Hiring a housekeeper is also a great resource for busy moms.
3. Guard your calendar with your life
Protecting your calendar is a super skill that I wish I could impart to every woman I know!
Listen, your calendar is sacred. These are the days and moments of your life that you only get to live once. Be very intentional with what you let fill your calendar.
A few suggestions to help with the calendar would be this:
Block off a few weekends or days that you want to keep open. If something comes up, simple say it’s booked. You don’t need to explain.
Decide ahead of time how many volunteer opportunities you will say yes to.
Plan out a few fun/refreshing things that are just for you.
Think through extra shopping that will need to happen for meals, parties, & presents and book time for those now
2 key things I help my clients learn are this: It’s okay to say NO, and it’s okay to disappoint people.
This may be hard for you, it’s okay. It was for me at first, too. It’s a skill that can be learned.
“Guarding your calendar is simply a way to prioritize your presence for those you love most”. - Sarah Failla
4. Make Some Holiday Decisions Ahead of Time
Thanksgiving and Christmas are coming. It happens every year and there will be parties, dinners, and shopping that needs to happen.
Have a conversation with the important people in your life now about these 3 areas:
Money. What is the budget for the Holiday meals, parties, gifts, etc? What can you discuss and decide now so that come January you aren’t super stressed out and having marriage drama from decisions you made in a blur.
Time. This is related to guarding your calendar but goes deeper in that having a conversation with your partner and kids about the holidays will help everyone get on the same page. With the added tasks who will pick up the slack between you and your partner? Who enjoys which tasks that need to happen?
Family boundaries. What does it look like for you to be with your extended family? Do you need to set boundaries, time limits, expectations? Doing this ahead of time will help you and your spouse be on the same page when ‘in the moment’ things come up that may be uncomfortable.
I pulled these tips from the video above that I made after a day of coaching my clients.
I am a coach for moms because you carry so much.
The fall doesn’t have to be crazy and you can make it work for you, even if it’s different than what works for everyone else.
Be aware of the signs that you are feeling overwhelmed. Sometimes it’s is overeating, too much wine, or over spending. It can also look like feeling ‘blah’, and like you just want it to all be over already.
If you would love ongoing support to help design your best life, which means best according to YOUR family and values I’d love to talk about working together. You can also learn more about my 6-Month Coaching Program for Moms here.
Sarah Failla
Life & Weight Loss Coach for Moms