Thriving Through the Holidays (Not Just Surviving Them)
The holidays arrive with sparkle, noise, expectations, casseroles, memories, and emotions — sometimes all in the same afternoon. And while, as we get older, we often joke about “just getting through it,” the truth is, surviving shouldn’t be the goal.
This season, we’re aiming higher.
We’re aiming for thriving — in our bodies, in our minds, and in our hearts. And thriving doesn’t require perfection or massive change. It happens in small, steady choices that quietly add up.
The Physical Side of Thriving
Because your body is the vehicle carrying you through every moment of the season — the shopping, the cooking, the hugging, the laughing, the resting. It deserves to be supported, not ignored.
Stay Gently Active
Staying physically active doesn’t have to look like formal exercise. Even simple, everyday movement supports circulation, balance, immune health, mood, and energy — all things we need more of during the holidays. Movement helps prevent stiffness from extra sitting, improves sleep, and even lifts emotional fog. The key isn’t intensity — it’s consistency and kindness to your body.
Simple ways to keep moving:
Take a 10–15 minute walk after meals
Stretch while watching TV
Park farther away when shopping
March in place during commercials
Put on one favorite song and simply move
Hydrate Like It Actually Matters (Because It Does)
Cold weather tricks us into forgetting to drink water. Between dry indoor air, salty foods, coffee, travel, and alcohol, dehydration can sneak in quickly. Staying hydrated supports joint comfort, digestion, brain clarity, energy, immune strength, and even your mood. This is one of the quietest and most powerful ways to feel better fast.
Easy hydration supports:
Keep water in the room you use most
Drink a full glass before coffee
Sip throughout the day instead of chugging
Pair water with habits (after bathroom breaks, before meals)
Remember that tea and soup count — but water still matters most
Stay Consistent With Medications
Holiday schedules change, but your medication needs don’t. Late nights, guests, travel, and broken routines can make it easy to forget doses or take them at the wrong time. That inconsistency can quietly impact blood pressure, glucose, pain levels, mood, and more. Thriving means protecting the routines that protect you.
Ways to protect your medication routine:
Use phone alarms
Use a weekly pill organizer
Pack medications in carry-on bags when traveling
Keep a backup dose in your purse if your doctor approves
Eat to Enjoy — Not to Recover
Let’s be clear: the holidays are not the time for rigid food rules. They are the time for mindful balance. Thriving doesn’t mean avoiding the foods you love — it means noticing how your body feels when everything is heavy, sugary, salty, and alcoholic all at once. Fatigue, joint pain, mood dips, brain fog, and restless sleep often follow excess. Balance lets you enjoy the season without paying for it later.
Gentle balance tips:
Eat protein before parties
Build plates with some color, not just beige
Alternate alcohol with water
Stop when you’re comfortably full
Enjoy what you truly love — not everything just because it’s there
Protect Yourself From Winter Illness
Winter gatherings also bring winter germs. You don’t need to live in fear — but you do get to live smart. Illness doesn’t just cost you a few days; it can take weeks of your energy and momentum. Protecting your health is part of protecting your joy.
Seasonal illness protection:
Wash hands often
Keep sanitizer in your bag
Avoid touching your face in public
Prioritize sleep
Follow your doctor’s guidance on flu or RSV prevention
Sometimes, missing one event is far better than missing weeks of your life to recovery.
The Mental & Emotional Side of Thriving
This is where the holidays can get complicated. Alongside joy and connection, old grief can resurface. Loneliness can feel louder. Family stress can resurface like an unwanted sequel.
Thriving here means being emotionally honest — and emotionally kind to yourself.
Expect Mixed Emotions
The holidays stir memories. People we miss. Traditions that changed. Lives that no longer look the way they once did. It’s completely normal to feel grateful and sad at the same time. You can feel joy and ache in the same breath — and nothing about that means you’re doing the holidays wrong. Thriving doesn’t require emotional perfection. It requires emotional honesty.
Ways to honor your feelings:
Talk about the people you miss
Light a candle in their honor
Write a memory or a letter
Allow tears without judging them
Don’t Let Loneliness Go Unanswered
Loneliness is more common than we admit, even in crowded rooms. Many women experience quieter seasons after loss, retirement, relocation, or shifting family roles. Thriving doesn’t require a full calendar — sometimes it begins with one intentional connection.
Ways to soften loneliness:
Schedule one coffee or phone call each week
Attend a holiday concert, talk, or local event
Volunteer for a holiday event
Send the message instead of waiting for one
Manage Stress Before It Manages You
Stress is part of the season — that’s reality. The pressure to show up, host, buy, cook, travel, and please everyone can pile up quickly. Thriving often comes from choosing to slow down instead of powering through. You don’t have to earn rest. You’re allowed to take it.
Simple stress relievers that work:
Breathe slowly for 60 seconds (inhale 4, exhale 6)
Step outside for fresh air
Lower one expectation
Decide, “This is enough for today”
Build quiet time into your calendar on purpose
Master the Art of Saying No
One of the most powerful thriving skills is knowing when to say no. You’re allowed to protect your energy, your health, and your peace. You’re allowed to decline events that exhaust you, conversations that drain you, and traditions that no longer fit your life.
Boundary language you can borrow:
“I’m not really up for that this year, but thank you for asking.”
“I can’t do the whole day, but I’ll stop by.”
“Unfortunately, that doesn’t work for me — but thank you for thinking of me.”
Give Yourself Something to Look Forward To
Thriving isn’t only about managing stress — it’s also about cultivating joy. Anticipation fuels emotional well-being in powerful ways. Even small pleasures give your brain something steady and comforting to lean toward.
Small joy builders:
Plan one personal holiday tradition just for you
Wake up early for quiet coffee and candlelight
Watch one movie that always comforts you
Buy yourself something meaningful
Do something creative with your hands
A Gentle Reframe for the Season
The holidays don’t need to look the way they used to.
They don’t need to be busy.
They don’t need to be perfect.
They don’t need to match anyone else’s version of joyful.
They just need to be honest, kind, and doable.
Your Quiet Holiday Reminder
You are not required to be anything but human.
This season, may you care for your body with compassion, protect your peace with confidence, hold your memories with tenderness, and allow yourself moments of real, simple joy.
That’s not surviving.
That’s thriving.
YayYou. 💛