How To Maintain Your Sanity Over the Holidays

 As we head into the holiday season, the inner gremlins and binge eating Amanda of the past starts to get under my skin and truth be told, it's this WEIRD combination of excitement and giddy-ness for the holidays and FEAR of crumbling back into my old ways and starting the cycle over again. 

While I know I've made SO many incredible shifts forward and have been binge free for a year and a half, anyone who has been addicted to something knows that there are triggers that remain, and the holidays have always been a major one for me.

Holidays used to mean daily binges, a shiz ton of negative self worth and an endlessly negative and irritable mindset. 

And this year, I'm determined not to let that happen.

Do the holidays stress you out too?

I'm a routine gal 100% and the second I get out of my day to day structure, I feel a bit like a fish out of water.

The literal change of scenery can derail me and all of a sudden, I feel like I have to bend over backwards for those around me and putting myself and my health first become the last thing I think about.

Workouts go down the drain because I don't want to be "disrespectful" by taking the time to get it in.

I feel like I have to eat the food that's put in front of me, even if it's stuff that makes me feel like shit.

I push my daily self care routines to the side and find my anxiety at an all time high.

Sound familiar?

Heading into the holidays this year, I'm determined to feel my BEST, while taking time to unplug, fully enjoy myself and indulge in the festivities (and wine, duh). 

And I know that means being intentional with how I show up every single day, especially while I'm out of my normal routine.

I hope these tips help you take agency over YOUR holiday season and gets you one step closer to ending the year feeling your freaking BEST.

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TOP 3 TIPS FOR HOW TO MAINTAIN YOUR SANITY OVER THE HOLIDAY SEASON
 

1. Get your workout in first thing, every damn day

I don't know about you, but I'm a raging bitch when I don't get my workouts in. And when I'm dealing with the added stress of being away from home, dealing with all the family drama (and love!), taking that time for me first thing is SO KEY to keeping my anxiety at bay and starting my day on a positive note.

So set your alarm, lace your shoes up and get your sweat on.

I'm planning on rocking out a 21 day badass at home workout program that doesn't require any equipment and are only 30 minutes in length so I can get it done quick, no matter where I am!
We're in this together!!!!

2. Set boundaries

Unless you have decided to rock the holidays solo this year (in which case, go you!), you are going to be around family a bunch -- and probably some family members you don't see very often and possibly don't get along with.

Setting boundaries around what you will and will not do is huge, and even more than that -- communicating those boundaries to your family is KEY so that they can respect your needs.

For example: When I'm with my in-laws, they know that discussing politics is off the table because we have diametrically opposed beliefs and it does neither of us any good discussing it.

If you experience something similar with your own family but haven't set those boundaries yet, before the holiday season starts, be sure to sit down with your family and explain that you want to have a wonderful time together and that out of respect to you, you ask that they refrain from discussing anything under the political umbrella while you are together.

This goes for anything else that are boundaries for you.

You don't have to put yourself in an uncomfortable situation and just "handle it". You have a voice! So share it and allow the people in your life to rise up.

Setting boundaries is something I only recently started practicing and it's been a complete game changer. I know it can feel scary to put yourself out there and set a boundary with someone else, but I promise you, it is SO empowering to do -- and mutually beneficial! 

Can you imagine a world where we were all clear about our boundaries? Let's start a movement.
 

3. Put time aside for JUST YOU

The best piece of advice I ever received from my coach was to take at least 15-30 minutes a day for time just for ME.

Whether it's getting up early and pouring into my journal or a personal development book or taking my dog for a walk to clear my head, that "me time" is SO important amidst the hustle and bustle of all the social events, dinners and commitments this time of year.

And don't tell me you can't find 15-30 minutes for yourself. Schedule it out if you have to but make it happen. It'll change the game. 

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And there you have it!

Let's rock this holiday season feeling our best.

Are you with me?

Xo Amanda 

5 Ways to Make the Holidays Feel Special when you're Adult-ing.

I will be the first to admit...I LOVE CHRISTMAS.

It is far and above my favorite time of year. The twinkly lights. The hot chocolate. The giving spirit that is all around. The family time. And TRADITIONS.

I am a sucker for traditions. And growing up, we had soo many traditions. And each and every single one of them would fill my heart with so much joy. Going to pick out the tree with my Dad. Listening to the Ella Fitzgerald Christmas cd while we decorated the tree. Baking shortbread cookies with my mom. The new matching pjs on Christmas eve. Pancakes for breakfast Christmas morning. Dinner with the whole family on Christmas. Boxing Day shopping (yeahhhh Canada) ... it was the BEST.

And after graduating college, I found those traditions slowly slipping away. I'm from Toronto and while Chicago isn't a bajillion hours away, it's far enough away that going home for a weekend isn't super easy to do. A couple of years ago, I couldn't even make it home for Christmas because I was in a show that ran right through the holidays. And last year, I spent Christmas at my in-laws. So it's safe to say that the traditions I grew up knowing largely went out the window. 

At first, I was heartbroken. And honestly, it's only been the past year or so of my life (since I started regularly doing personal development) that I shifted my perspective and found JOY in the holiday again. Because, as I've learned, when you choose to place your energy and thoughts on the positive things of life -- when you CREATE the kind of experience you so crave -- you can have what you feel like you're missing on your own terms! :) 

So, here are my top 5 ways to make the Holidays feel special:

1. Make new traditions

When I wasn't able to make it home for Christmas a couple of years back, I moped around for weeks. I was sad. No cookie making, christmas tree decorating, pj opening christmas. 

SO instead, I decided to make the most of it and since it was the first Christmas that Kev and I were spending together as a family, we decided that a great way to make it exciting was to make NEW traditions! And that's when our ornament tradition began.

Every year, we find an ornament to add to our collection. The ornament we pick represents the year we had together -- last year, we got a "Our First Home" ornament since we had just bought our place! This year, I'm sure it will have to be a dog ornament of some kind ;) 

So find something new and exciting and build it into your Holiday traditions! :)

2. Have a Christmas Movie Marathon

This one is KEY for me to feel like it's Christmas. So grab a girlfriend or your hubby and park yourselves on the couch, turn the sparkly lights on, grab some homemade hot cocoa and have a snuggly night in.

My personal faves? The Santa Clause, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, White Christmas and Love Actually :)

3. Celebrate the Holiday Locally

There are TONS of festive celebrations that happen all over and I'm sure there are some super fun ones in your city/town! 

Chicago is filled with fun little things but our all time favorite thing to do is go to the Christkindlemarket -- there's a giant tree that's all lit up and booths with Christmas treats, ornaments, gifts and all the gluvine (aka mulled wine -- DELICIOUS) you could want! It's a really cute thing to do and we have so much fun going every year. 

4. Get your Bake on!

Something about baking really gets me in the Christmas mood :)

So blast that Christmas pandora station and bake some guilt free cookies -- recipe for the cookies pictured above HERE. Also loving these 21 Day Fix-Approved Holiday Treats! 

5. Surround yourself with people you LOVE

When it comes down to it, the holidays are really a time to spend with those you love most in the world. So make TIME for the people that matter to you. Because that's what the holidays are all about, right? 

So spend this month sharing the love.

Make girlfriend dates. Call your Mom. Send homemade cards to your faraway friends. 

If that doesn't put you in the holiday spirit, I don't know what will ;) 

What are YOUR favorite traditions? I would love to hear! Share in the comments below!

The Cookie to win all Potlucks

Holy wow, how is Christmas next week? Is it just me or do you feel like it literally snuck up on us more than usual this year. Normally, I've got a countdown going starting in November, and I'm listening to Christmas songs wayyyy earlier than any normal human being should. For reals, guys, Christmas is my holiday. I get just giddy thinking about it.

But for some reason, this season thus far has felt really different. And I've been thinking a lot about why that's the case. For one, the weather has been so out of whack here in Chicago. It has snowed once and it was over a month ago, so I don't feel like that really counts. And it has been unusually warm. I seriously keep thinking it's November. Nope, definitely December, Amanda. Definitely December. Also, I feel like I normally have had holiday parties to attend and Christmas-y get togethers and so far this year, I haven't really had one. [No, this is not me throwing myself a pity party, it's just the cold hard facts. People are slacking on the Christmas parties up in my hood! What's a girl gotta do to have a reason to break out the tacky Christmas sweaters with the pompoms on them? *Le Sigh*]

So yeah, long story short, it has just not felt like Christmas. 

And I was getting really bummed out about it all. But here's the thing. Christmas/Channukah/Kwanza/whatever you may celebrate isn't about the parties you go to or the snowstorm that comes your way. It's about a feeling. A feeling that just doesn't seem to exist at any other time of the year. For me, it's this heart-fluttering-giant-smiles-giving-warm-fuzzy-joy-feeling inside my soul. And goddamnit I wanted that feeling!!

So, I blasted my Ella Fitzgerald Christmas cd, turned on the Christmas lights, got Christmas cookies baking in the oven and got all of my presents wrapped. And there was that feeling.

So, I guess all of this is to say that if your life isn't bringing you the holiday warm and fuzzies, make them appear. You know what makes you giddy, so do those things and give yourself some holiday lovin'. You deserve it.

OK, now for the Good Stuff.

THE ULTIMATE POTLUCK COOKIE

I love these cookies. They are so healthy and a constant hit at any and all potlucks I attend. People have no clue that they're eating a cookie that is good for them AND delicious! Bonus? They literally take 5 minutes to make, easy, peasy, cookie!

Ingredients

2 bananas

1 cup oats

1/4 tsp vanilla

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or 1 tsp cinnamon & 1/4 tsp nutmeg)

Dark chocolate

Optional: walnuts 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In large bowl, mash bananas until consistency is smooth

3. Stir in oats until completely mixed together

4. Add pumpkin spice and vanilla and mix until it is evenly covered. Then add dark chocolate chunks/chips and optional walnuts and do the same.

5. Using a tablespoon, spoon cookie mix onto a cookie sheet

6. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until cookie is baked to your desire!