With just a little more than 5 weeks until the end of the year, and multiple holidays between now and then, this time of year is usually crazy busy for everyone. In order to get everything done we often end up stretching ourselves way too thin. Things like…

Skimping on sleep
Working longer hours
Pushing ourselves to the limit
Scarfing quick and easy meals that aren’t always healthy
Multi-tasking to save time
Skipping essential self-care rituals altogether
Overriding our body’s needs
Pressing pause on workouts, time in nature, and connection with ourselves
Neglecting our need for fun, play, laughter and pleasure
Pressuring ourselves to perform and produce at ultra-high levels
Judging ourselves for not doing it all faster, better, perfectly

The recovering over-achiever in me is here to remind you of the importance of prioritizing feeling good over these next weeks.

What does that even mean?!?

It means to get clear on the little, every day, mundane things that help you to feel good, and to then focus on, schedule, emphasize and celebrate them in the coming days and week.

Here are some simple examples:

Love taking hot showers or baths? Make sure you take one daily. And when you slip your body into that hot water, revel in it. Let the good feeling things in more. Savor the sensations. Let them sink in past your skin and into your organs, bones and very core. You might even want to say out loud, “Damn! That feels so good! I’m also a big fan of sugar scrubs and bath bombs. Bring on the smooth skin and delicious smells! And if you feel the desire to dance or sing in the shower, that’s a definite bonus!

Love beautiful things? Or feeling beautiful yourself? Make sure you adorn yourself daily with something that makes you feel pretty – a scarf, a pair of earrings, a swipe of mascara, the perfect lipstick… When you do, take a second glance in the mirror and drink in how it makes you feel to wear something colorful. Confident? Radiant? Beautiful? Energized? Take those good feelings in and let them bolster you.

Love how you feel when you eat fresh, vibrant foods? Or the feeling that you get when someone else makes dinner for you (a.k.a. take out)? Make sure you have fresh, healthy, delicious and nourishing snacks and meals covered for yourself (and your loved ones) for the next few weeks. Look ahead in your schedule to determine the nights when ordering take-out will keep you sane. This will also help you to get clear on the nights you’ll be cooking dinner instead. And make sure you have easy snacks and meals in your fridge and pantry for the coming weeks. Soups, sliced veggies and fruit, some healthy dips or sauces that you can use in multiple ways… all of this planning ahead will truly help you feel (and look!) good through the end of 2020 and beyond.

Love feeling strong in your body? Love how you feel after you’ve broken a sweat? Gotten your heart rate up? Stretched? I encourage my clients to make moving their bodies a daily non-negotiable thing. We spend so much time in our heads, especially when things get really busy. Moving your body every day in some way – walking, running, stretching, swimming, dancing, yoga, Pilates, Nia… – it makes every difference in how your day unfolds, how your body feels, how much energy you have, and in how you carry yourself. And it feels freaking fantastic, too!

You might look at these suggestions and think I’m telling you to “up” your self-care right now. Mmmm, yes. But more than anything, I’m inviting you to FEEL GOOD.

It feels good to do these things for yourself. It feels good when we tend to our own needs. It feels amazing when we care for ourselves BEFORE and WHILE the world is pressing in on us with its deadlines, demands and expectations.

More than a call to up-level how you care for yourself, this is an invitation to put yourself first. It’s a reminder that when you are feeling good, you are a better version of yourself. You’re able to give more, perform at ultra-high levels, and be amazing all while never needing to sacrifice yourself or your health along the way.

So… make a little list now. Set a timer for just 5 minutes and get clear on the things that help you to feel GOOD – as in Nina Simone’s Feeling Good kind of good…! – and then put these things into your calendar, into your daily routine, into your week.

Amidst your 4-mile-long to-do list, these are your “Get-to-dos”. They’re just for you, your pleasure, your sanity and joy.

2020 has been a not-so-good feeling year for so many. Let’s do what we can to shift that as we close this year out and prepare to start new.

Lots of love,

Alicia

PS: Need some ideas and inspiration, above and beyond what I’ve shared here, about what to put on your get-to-do-list? Join my private Facebook Group for more!

PPS: Don’t confuse feeling good with avoiding the uncomfortable emotions that are so often present during the holidays – especially in 2020! There is such incredible wisdom and power in our feelings, and often we discover some pretty astounding gifts too! You can read more about that here.