December is such a cozy time of year. Aaaand, it can also feel like the craziest time of year, too.

Shopping chaos
End of the year push
More merriment than usual
Parking mayhem
Weather craziness
Do or die deadlines
Late nights getting things done
Holiday festivities
Family drama
Wardrobe stress – what to wear?
Never enough time
Making it magical for the kids

So. Much. To. Do.

This is the time of year when taking care of ourselves usually goes right out the window – partly because we feel there just isn’t any time to do it, and partly because the way we’re thinking about taking care of ourselves just doesn’t fit into how busy life has become.

Few of us have time for a 2-hour massage in December! (even if that’s what we really need!)

So, I’m here to remind you of a few simple ways you can honor yourself, take care of your body, and ensure you don’t slip into sacrificing yourself for the sake of getting it all done.

Here are 5 simple yet powerful ways you can honor yourself this week. They will make all of the difference in your December, but they’ll also transform the rest of your year, too, if you continue to practice these 5 tips below.

1. Drink water. It’s simple, yet so, so powerful. Did you know that dehydration is one of the leading causes of brain fog and pain in the body? Staying hydrated will help you feel good in your body and keep your brain functioning at the high level you need it to right now. Take a reusable water bottle with you wherever you go and pause throughout the day for a 1-minute “water break” so you can actually drink. If you’re not a fan of drinking water, add a splash of lemon, or cranberry, or orange juice to your water to make it more palatable. Depending on your activity level, and how much caffeine you consume in a day, a great guideline for staying hydrated is to drink at least half of your body weight in ounces every day (more if you drink caffeine or are physically active).
2. Lighten your load. This is something I’ve been experimenting with in my own life, and it’s been such a relief to me. Instead of doing everything – which often comes from those “should” places inside of us – what about choosing the things that are really the most important? Or most aligned with your priorities and values? Or that feel the best? Simplifying things for yourself will help ensure that you are actually taking yourself into consideration – because an exhausted, depleted, I-have-nothing-more-to-give means you’re not enjoying yourself, and also not very available to those you love. So take a look at what you have planned – the gift giving, the holiday meals, the party invites, the travel… – and ask yourself if you’re really up for it all, or if you need to simplify things so you can be more present, more inspired, more available, more radiant, more relaxed, more yourself.
   
3. Sleep. Ah, sleep. Sweet, wonderful, restorative, I-love-you-so-much, sleep. It feels so good, but we often try to get through the last weeks of the year with so much less than we really need. This is my nudge to you to break that pattern and honor yourself with this powerful, essential, daily routine. What might be possible for you if you actually slept enough this December? Might you feel more inspired and joyful? Might you have more patience? Might you be so much more ready to step into the New Year with the enthusiasm and energy you desire? So, seriously. Get more sleep. A minimum of 7.5 hours a night, more if you can. And naps! Naps count, too. A 25-minute cat nap can be a glorious thing, and a 90-minute mid-day snooze could change your life.
4. Get quiet. With all of the hustle and bustle – the constant go-go-go of trying to get everything done until you collapse in your bed at night or zone out to Netflix until you can’t keep your eyes open any longer – quiet can be next to nonexistent. And yet quiet is deeply nourishing – in ways that can be easy to overlook and underestimate when it’s not a part of your life. Quiet calms the nervous system, the overactive mind, and it gives your adrenals a chance to rest. All of these are very good things! Getting quiet can look like meditation, but it can also look like sitting quietly to read a book. Or taking a quiet bath by candlelight. Or going for a walk outside, without listening to a podcast or music, or catching up on your voice messages. This is time with yourself, for you to feel, to be, to connect inwardly and listen. It’s one of the most important, valuable, and amazing ways you can honor yourself this week, and beyond.
5. Be generous. Yes, be generous with others, but more importantly be generous with yourself. One of the biggest stressors in women’s lives comes from we talk to and treat ourselves. And so much of that negative self-talk and self-judgment comes from comparing ourselves to others, and falling into the deep, dark trap of perfectionism. Being generous with yourself means offering acceptance, loved, respect and even adoration to yourself first, and then to others. It means if you veer away from how you usually eat, overindulge here and there, run late to an appointment or family gathering, or don’t get the holiday decorations up until the last minute (or at all!), you let yourself off the hook and tell yourself it’s okay. Being generous with yourself means you recognize you’re doing the best you can right now, and that your best is more than enough. Because YOU are enough just as you are.

Honoring yourself is a practice – a daily, devotional practice to elevate, support, nourish and love yourself. There will be times when you’re honoring yourself like a queen, and there will be times when you’re not.

Notice for yourself the difference you feel in your body, your energy, your appearance, your professional life, and even your relationships when you are honoring yourself versus when you’re not. It’s undeniable how different your life feels, how you feel, when you honor yourself more often than not.