{"id":7279,"date":"2016-11-23T17:45:39","date_gmt":"2016-11-23T17:45:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.wellvyl.dev\/?p=7279"},"modified":"2024-02-04T00:27:48","modified_gmt":"2024-02-04T00:27:48","slug":"holiday-season-doesnt-suck-helpful-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wellvyl.com\/media\/holiday-season-doesnt-suck-helpful-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Have A Holiday Season That Doesn\u2019t Suck: A Helpful Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n<\/a>\"How<\/a>
\n<\/a><\/p>\n

So, you\u2019re on that wellness shit: you have a membership to at least one fitness boutique, own an overpriced meditation pillow<\/i>, and can pronounce the hell out of \u201ca\u00e7ai\u201d. But you\u2019ve also got the usual holiday dinner plans with the fam and a desire to ring in the new year somewhere more festive than your living room couch. Whatever holidays you participate in, \u2019tis the season for shopping, socializing, and having seconds at the dinner table. Personal growth and change are natural, positive aspects of life, but in a season so steeped in traditions it can be challenging to honor the person you\u2019ve become while doing the same things you\u2019ve always done. Just because you\u2019ve got a brand new mindset doesn’t mean you can\u2019t still participate in favorite old traditions. This year, why not redefine what \u201choliday traditions\u201d means for you so your green juice-sipping self isn\u2019t stuck on the sidelines all season?<\/p>\n

Though your fear of sounding like a grinch may stop you from saying it, the holidays can be a real bitch. Gift-giving, enforced family fun, and the pressure to enjoy oneself are just some of the stress sources that crop up this time of year. Maintaining your health around the holidays goes beyond watching what\u2019s on your plate at Thanksgiving or keeping an eye on your drink count come New Year\u2019s. With holiday-specific stress in the mix, we need to be as concerned about our mental and emotional wellbeing as we are about our physical health. We\u2019ve written before about the wellthy response to stress<\/a>, but in the context of this season the question is: what are some ways we can tackle old traditions with a new mindset?<\/p>\n

Gift-Giving Help for the Conscious Consumer<\/b><\/h2>\n

Angry articles on the commodification of holidays be damned, gift-giving and receiving is generally considered a mainstay of this season. Growing up, you may have relished writing your Hanukkah or Christmas wish lists, but today it\u2019s more likely the index of people you \u201chave to\u201d buy gifts for is lengthier than your personal want list. Not only can this tradition strain your finances, causing you stress in the process, but for those who prefer to consume with a conscience, shopping for others can pose a unique challenge. Personally, as a plant-based individual I find myself facing an unexpected ethical dilemma this time of year: While I want my dad to have his favorite fancy jerky (it\u2019s a thing) and my best friend to land that cute leather bag she\u2019s been eyeing, I don\u2019t want to support these industries. At the same time, I don\u2019t want to earn a reputation as that <\/i>gift-giver, the one who presents all her loved ones with donations to PETA in their names regardless of personal beliefs and interests. Whether you\u2019re a passionate supporter of the fair-trade movement, a dedicated vegan, or just don\u2019t want to buy a bunch of harmful crap for your friends and family this year, consuming with your newfound consciousness is sure to shake up the traditional gift-giving process.<\/p>\n

You don\u2019t have to attempt to change anyone with not-so-subtle \u201ceducational\u201d gifts (your family would likely consider your not<\/i> trying a gift in itself), but you can seek out presents which would bring the recipient joy while also supporting their wellbeing. The foodie on your list may love some healthy yet decadent treats or eco-friendly cookware, and your current events-obsessed cousin could appreciate a best-seller on a hot topic like climate change or animal agriculture. Essential oil blends and attractive, enhancing crystals make great stocking stuffers for your favorite homebody, and an herbal, fair-trade tea sampler would please even the most loyal java-junkie you know. By approaching this tradition with the intention of supporting your loved ones\u2019 health, you can present a gift that truly keeps on giving. (Remember to also grab a gift for yourself this year, the more indulgent the better\u2014 after all, self-care is <\/i>an important part of wellness).<\/p>\n

\"How<\/a><\/p>\n

Family Fun: Because Fun Is Always Best When It\u2019s Mandatory<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Grinch here, again! There\u2019s a reason you\u2019ll see so many holiday cards specifically wishing \u201cpeace<\/i> to you and yours\u201d: Hallmark knows family gatherings can be . . . challenging. Maybe you\u2019re made to engage people you wouldn\u2019t ordinarily choose to, or you find yourself trapped on a battlefield disguised as a dinner table. If you\u2019re some shining unicorn of a person who can breeze through a family party stress-free, great\u2014 tell the whole fam \u201chi\u201d from Wellvyl! But for the rest of us who are looking to maintain our mental and emotional health this season, a Thanksgiving dinner survival plan is necessary.<\/p>\n

Showing up to Thanksgiving may be on Mom\u2019s list of non-negotiables, but stress doesn\u2019t have to make this year\u2019s menu. Rather than working yourself up trying to educate relatives or defend your views, focus on enjoying the company of loved ones you wish you saw more of or on relishing foods you don\u2019t often eat. When that ignorant uncle attempts to explain feminism to you or your carnivorous cousin starts in about your supposed protein deficiency, don\u2019t let it stress you out. Eat \u201ccheat day\u201d foods, make Mom happy, focus on the positive, because better times are coming. And they\u2019re called Black Friday.<\/p>\n

To make this season that much sweeter, carve out time for loved ones whose company has a boosting effect on your wellbeing, regardless of whether or not they share your DNA. Participating in events like Friendsgiving, where friends gather for a traditional holiday feast with an untraditional guest list, is an excellent way to freshen up old customs with new understanding. From Secret Santa gift-swaps to low-key holiday hangouts, this time of year presents plenty of opportunities to create positive vibes with people you love. What could be more fa-la-la-la-la<\/i> than that?<\/p>\n

Your holiday traditions aren\u2019t ending but are simply changing, evolving, same as you. Expanding consciousness is, by definition, not limiting. This year, feel free to dig into your favorite mashed potatoes and stuffing and sweat it out the next day, go dancing on New Year\u2019s Eve and meditate the morning of January 1st. Start some new traditions and simply tweak some old ones. And above all, have a happy, healthy holiday season.<\/p>\n

To borrow from the wise folks over\u00a0at Hallmark:<\/p>\n

Here’s wishing you peace, positive vibes, and plenty of Thanksgiving leftovers,<\/p>\n

Julia<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

So, you\u2019re on that wellness shit: you have a membership to at least one fitness boutique, own an overpriced meditation pillow, and can pronounce the hell out of \u201ca\u00e7ai\u201d. But you\u2019ve also got the usual holiday dinner plans with the fam and a desire to…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":96,"featured_media":7284,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"67","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"This year, shake up favorite old traditions with a new, wellthy mindset for your happiest, healthiest holiday season yet.","_seopress_robots_index":"","_price":"","_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_header":"","_tribe_default_ticket_provider":"","_tribe_ticket_capacity":"0","_ticket_start_date":"","_ticket_end_date":"","_tribe_ticket_show_description":"","_tribe_ticket_show_not_going":false,"_tribe_ticket_use_global_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_global_stock_level":"","_global_stock_mode":"","_global_stock_cap":"","_tribe_rsvp_for_event":"","_tribe_ticket_going_count":"","_tribe_ticket_not_going_count":"","_tribe_tickets_list":"[]","_tribe_ticket_has_attendee_info_fields":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[67],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7279","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wellvyl.com\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7279","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wellvyl.com\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wellvyl.com\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wellvyl.com\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/96"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wellvyl.com\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7279"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/wellvyl.com\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7279\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":69349,"href":"https:\/\/wellvyl.com\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7279\/revisions\/69349"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wellvyl.com\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7284"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wellvyl.com\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7279"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wellvyl.com\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7279"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wellvyl.com\/media\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7279"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}