Winter wellbeing over the festive period
The festive period, while exciting for many of us, can be tricky when it comes to navigating personal wellbeing. With increased socialising, delicious foods aplenty, and colder weather, understandably mental and physical health sometimes takes a back seat, and the uncertainty of the pandemic had only added to that. At Holly Health, we help align everyday actions with what really matters for long-term wellbeing – helping people maintain a balanced lifestyle, while still enjoying all the season has to offer.
It's been proven time and time again that gradual and consistent changes lead to lasting results, so we’ve come up with three actions to help you enjoy the festive season, free of guilt and restriction.
1) Maintain a flexible attitude and be kind to yourself
Embrace balance and flexibility around food, drinks, movement, and even social events…(don’t go to everything if you don't feel like it!)
For a lot of us, the festive season is a prime time for the ‘all or nothing’ mentality, also known as the 'what the hell' effect. By denying yourself a dessert at a festive lunch out, the danger is you arrive home feeling hungry (as you didn’t satisfy your craving previously) and gorge on something sweet.
Instead, practice flexibility, and mindfully enjoy all the delicious food this season has to offer! Listen to your hunger and fullness cues and you'll be providing your body and soul with what they really need. Move your body when it feels right and nourishing, not as a punishment for 'overindulging' during a social event, and relax and chill out when you feel the need to, rather than feeling guilty about it.
When things don't go according to plan, remember to be kind to yourself! Life happens and we always do the best we can with what we have available.
2) Take time to reflect
The end of the year is usually a good time to sit back and reflect on what went well, what could have gone better, and what you want to do next…
Set an intention moving forwards: what do you want to cultivate more of? Take time to write down three things you learned about yourself during this past year. What were the main actions/thoughts/attitudes that brought you closer to your goals? Was there a recurring obstacle that kept getting in the way of your goals? Is there anything you can do to avoid, or work around, that situation?
Look for positive ways in which you can support yourself to achieve your goals, rather than focusing negatively on what you didn’t manage to achieve.
3) Start enjoying life now
There is no need to postpone life for the sake of wellbeing…why not start enjoying life more right now?!
Rather than waiting for Monday, the New Year, or your birthday, take every moment of every day as an opportunity to begin again. This is a good way to keep your goals and intentions in mind, and slowly but surely build the lifestyle that you love.
Holly Health’s digital coach will be there to support you every step of the way, so you can turn those intentions into actions!
Personalised support to feel mentally and physical good through 2022
The Holly Health app has been developed by neuroscientists, psychologists and behaviour change experts. Holly Health’s digital health coach supports people to make small but consistent changes to daily behaviours, for long-term benefits to their mental and physical health - this winter, and beyond.
