Tis the season to be… Getting pulled in every which direction?
That’s not how that song’s meant to go, right?
So, why is this happening? And why are you feeling guilty for not being able to give all your energy to each person and every gathering?
It’s not possible to do without you being left running on an empty tank.
You are a businesswoman, you have your own immediate family (even if that’s just you and your dear Mr. Meows-a-lot), and you have your own routine and goals that don’t need to stop for anybody unless you want them to.
Since the very beginning of this month, I have seen countless posts… Friends and fellow sisters in business dreading their ‘obligatory’ gatherings, some literally breaking down because they have so many deadlines that are struggling to hit while trying to make it to all the events they’re invited to.
I think it’s pretty clear that we are all putting way too much pressure on ourselves to be everything, do everything, get everything done, buy all the things, and make everyone else happy, forgetting to be gentle with ourselves.
There is no need to put so much pressure on yourself, babe.
If you don’t feel like going to that Christmas party your ex-colleague invited you to, don’t go.
If your aunt Margaret has already let you know that she’s expecting you at her annual Christmas Eve party, it is okay for you to let her know you might just have to catch up with her in the new year. It’s okay.
I’m not going to sit here and preach to you, but I really do want to get the message across that you don’t have to give every single ounce of your energy to make others happy.
You, who, and what you value most in this world, are what truly matter. Your goals matter. Your dreams matter. Your time is valuable and totally non-refundable.
One of the major ways to protect your energy is by setting and being clear about your personal boundaries.
I’ve been learning a tonne about this myself, recently, from Dr. LePera (aka The Holistic Psychologist). If you haven’t heard of her before, I highly recommend jumping straight onto IG once you finish this article, and following her for a tonne of free and easily accessible info.
You won’t regret it.
What I’ve learnt and want to share with you today is that you are always in charge of what you allow to affect you. This seems obvious, right? If you’re like ‘nope!’, I totally get it!
I always thought about how others behave around me, the choices that the people surrounding me make will affect me whether I like it or not.
News flash, babe. You are always in control of what you let in.
You have the power to block the negative energies that do not serve you.
Setting clear boundaries and sticking to them is one of the key ways of doing this successfully.
If you’d like to learn more about setting boundaries, here is a shortlist of my go-to’s:
1. The No BS Guide to Setting Boundaries
3. Energy Vampires & Energy Boundaries
We are here for you, and you are always welcome to reach out to us. I hope this article finds you well and serves you in some positive way. If you have any questions or would like to share your experiences with protecting your energy during the holidays, we would love to hear from you.
Happy holidays, babe! 😉
For sure! We control our lives! Great read.
Spot on! We seem to always run ourselves ragged during the holidays and we begin to not even enjoy it. I set boundaries many years ago when all of the relatives wanted us with them for events. After running with the kids from house to house and not enjoying any of it I said “No more”! It is so much better now because we go when and where we want to.
This message is so incredibly important. Thanks for sharing!!
I love this! With the holidays involving family, so many people feel as though they can’t set boundaries to protect themselves. However, in not protecting yourself in this way you’re not only hurting yourself but you’re not going to be able to give your best to your loved ones either. Thank you for the reminder!
I’m totally agree with you. I know how hard to say no sometimes, but if it pressures you, it would be best to follow what you want the most. Plenty of times I’m in those situations too.
Love this, it’s so true! Have you read the book Energy Bus? It mentions Energy Vampires quite often! It’s always important to protect your energy wherever you go – even with family sometimes!
-Madi xo
I believe there is always a level of giving of ourselves during the holidays, however, I whole heartedly believe that you do not have to give every ounce of yourselves, and at times need to pick and choose your engagements to fit what is best for you and your family.
I definitely agree with a lot of things you have said in this post. Especially when it comes to setting personal boundaries. I have always found it hard to do so, but setting the boundaries helps me immensely, and I think that is key – you need to do what is best for you and protect your own energy.
This article is a great reminder that we need to take care of ourselves and use our energy wisely.
I so believe in this! I mean, we’re all human and we all get tired, we all have our limits. For me it’s always quality over quantity!
You are always in control of what you let in- love that’s and so true!
I agree with everything you said. I’m one of those people that tries to make everyone else happy and puts my needs aside. It can be very stressful at times. I have been doing some meditation and that has helped me tremendously with energy and those stressful times! Thanks for sharing!
I agree with you that there’s no better time to protect your energy and give yourself some self-care than during the holidays. If I could dedicate a week to sleep and recover after the holidays, I would. Unfortunately, life gets in the way and my tax filing is screaming at me to get it started lol. Great post!
I love this post. My family is huge and it’s so hard to remember who needs a present, who is having a gathering, and all the stuff in between!