It’s that time of year again! We’ve cleaned our plates from Thanksgiving and now Christmas decorations are prominently displayed everywhere. Work parties, galas, and holiday shopping are calling our names while our schedules are becoming jam-packed. As we celebrate the season and spend time with loved ones, it’s easy to lose our day-to-day structure and feel stressed. Below you’ll find tips to stay balanced during the holidays while taking care of yourself and remaining grounded.

1. Don’t Skip Your Workout

The first thing to go is usually our workout. I challenge you to avoid excuses and commit to working out 3-4x per week during this Holiday season. Pick a workout that you enjoy and schedule a non-negotiable time to make it happen. Sign up for a class on ClassPass and you’ll be more likely to go because they charge you for missing your workout. Additionally, find the optimal time of day that ensures you’ll get your workout in! For me, that means practicing yoga in the AM as I’m more inclined to skip if I leave it until after work. If you’d rather not leave your house (aka its FREEZING out), practice some FIERCE CLARITY YOGA at home!

2. Be Mindful of What You Eat

Now is the time to tune into your body and make wise choices. Overindulgence is very tempting this time of year — Cookies, cakes, and champagne are everywhere. To stay balanced, it’s important to tune into the messages your body is sending you. Be mindful of stomachaches, acne breakouts, lethargy, and other physical symptoms that arise after eating certain types of food or overindulging. Eat anything that doesn’t agree with you in moderation and cook as many meals as you can. Be sure to drink plenty of water and take whichever vitamins or supplements support your health.

3. Ditch The Cocktails

The easiest way to create imbalance is by drinking too much. Since alcohol is very hard on the body, limiting your consumption will help you feel healthy during this season. When you do have a cocktail, make sure to always hydrate with water to offset alcohol’s dehydrating effects. Drinking is a personal choice, but I’ve found it to be much easier to stay committed to a healthy lifestyle when I limit myself to having a cocktail once or twice per week.

4. Take Time For Yourself

Many of us put others’ needs before our own, but we have to remember we cannot give from an empty cup. Daily self-care is essential for balance and it’s important to utilize our individual practices that create feelings of calm, ease, and connection. You can take a bath, listen to music, use a gratitude journal, go for a walk, meditate, pray, or smudge + use crystals. It doesn’t matter which practice is your jam, what’s important is that you take time each day to clear and reset your energy.

5. Get Enough Rest

Rest. Rest. Rest. It’s okay to allow yourself to rest. In this busy-busy-busy culture, it’s easy to feel guilty for wanting to be in bed but give yourself permission to take it easy. Check-in with yourself and listen when you feel tired. It’s okay to slip out of the party early, no one will notice.

Holidays are a time of love, laughter, and fun! Take care of yourself this season so you can fully enjoy 🙂