The holiday season has officially arrived!
Christmas lights are up, mall Santas are settling in for another season and the eggnog has begun to flow.
It’s easy to get caught up in choosing the right gift for your favourite aunt, finding the perfect dress for your office holiday party or declaring war on the person who ‘stole’ your parking lot at the mall. Holiday stress is real but there is a simple antidote – gratitude.
There are tons of reasons to love the holidays, however practicing a habit of gratitude is the most effective way to manage stress and get even more enjoyment out of the holiday season. Research shows that gratitude can help improve your health, relationships, boost happiness, and lower stress. All of the secret ingredients to making the holidays merry and bright!
Below are three ways that you can get into the spirit of practicing gratitude during the holidays so you can keep that inevitable stress in check:
Show random acts of kindness
Recently I invited a couple of girlfriends over simply to acknowledge and thank them for being amazing friends and for being there for me through thick and thin. We laughed and cried over old memories while making new ones, when munching on the new snack collection from Central Roast!
The way that we gobbled these up, I’ll definitely be handing out more of these delicious goodies during the holidays.
Other ways that you can demonstrate acts of kindness could be volunteering, opening a door for someone or even just a simple smile and hello when you lock eyes with someone while walking down the street.
Write down 3 things that you’re grateful for
‘When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive – to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.’
― Marcus Aurelius
This is one of my favourite quotes. When you get up in the morning before you get carried away with the hustle and bustle of the day, think of 3 things you’re grateful for. This is also a great practice at the end of the day as well to destress.
Savour your food and practice food gratitude
It’s easy to beat ourselves up over the holidays for eating one too many pieces of peppermint bark or generous spoonfuls of stuffing but it’s important to give yourself permission to enjoy your food. That also includes enjoying the ooey gooey indulgent ones and savoring each bite. Besides – food guilt just feels bad! When you’re mindful and take the time to appreciate what you’re eating, it becomes more joyful.
When I want to indulge responsibly without sacrificing flavour, I like to reach for Central Roast snacks. All of their snacks are made with high quality ingredients that I can feel good about eating. I think I’ve become addicted to their new Butter Toffee Pecans or maybe their Cinnamon Vanilla almonds – I can’t decide!
Pecans and almonds are great sources of healthy fats that you can munch on in between meals to help prevent overeating. Pecans are also high in the nutrients copper and thiamine which helps boost energy production in the body. Perfect for keeping up with the hustle and bustle of the holiday season!
Any time that you feel overwhelmed during the holidays, simply remind yourself of one thing that you’re grateful for. It can be enjoying delicious snacks like my new favs from Central Roasts, volunteering and helping those that are less fortunate or spending time with those you love the most. The more that you practice a habit of gratitude is the jollier your holidays will be.
Need some help avoiding holiday weight gain?
Click here or on the image below to join my free Facebook group! You’ll learn about how to make healthy eating easier and staying on track during the holidays without the frustration.
Note: This post is sponsored, and I have received product in exchange for my honest opinions and review.