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Accepting Cancelled Holiday Gatherings

Jaclyn Baker
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Life is unpredictable, and there are so many events and situations we can’t control.

The good news is, we can control how we react to those events and how we look at them.

You Can’t Force Feelings

Even though we can try and change our mindset and attitude, we can’t actually prevent feelings or turn them off in the blink of an eye.

“You feel how you feel, and your feelings are real.” – Sven

It’s one thing to try to challenge negative emotions.

But it’s quite another to ignore them and pretend they don’t exist.

If you’ve been feeling sad or disappointed over not being able to spend the holidays with loved ones in person, that is completely okay. 

Never be ashamed of how you feel. We all experience negative emotions and it’s completely normal. 

Acceptance + Compassion

We get it. Accepting a negative event isn’t always easy, but it is possible.

Practicing self-compassion may not be able to eliminate pain, but it can build resilience and boost optimism.

Looking For The Silver Lining

Several studies show that it can be beneficial to look for silver linings during difficult situations. 

Here are a few silver linings of having small a Christmas this year…

1) You won’t have to spend hours on end cooking and cleaning.

2) You can spend quality one on one time with your immediate family. 

3) You can create new traditions.

Final Thoughts

As we stated earlier, there are plenty of things in life we can’t change. But we can change the stories we tell ourselves and look at things differently.

From our family to yours, we’d like to wish you all a very Happy Holidays!

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Coping with Loneliness During The Holidays

Jaclyn Baker
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The holidays are all about spending time with loved ones and making memories. 

As you know, this holiday season will be far different than most. 

Even though social distancing is keeping us safe, it can be a little lonely at times. 

You may not be able to erase your feelings of loneliness, but there are plenty of things you can do to make yourself feel better.

Be Good to Yourself:

We’ve talked about this on the blog a few times in the past. But we are going to repeat it since it is so true!

Whether you’re having a good or bad day, it’s so important to be your own best friend. 

You’ve got to listen to your body and give it what it needs. Doing something special just for you is a form of self-care. 

You Are Not Alone:

Feelings are not facts. Just because you may be feeling alone doesn’t mean you are alone.

Even though loneliness can be an uncomfortable feeling, it is nothing to be ashamed of. 

Don’t be afraid to open up to someone in your life and let them know how you feel.

You never know – they may be feeling the same way and can offer some words of encouragement.

Rethink Your Expectations:

So many of us are guilty of setting high expectations for the holidays and want everything to be perfect. 

A holiday does not have to be perfect in order to be special.

A virtual dinner with friends and family can be just as much fun as an in-person event.

 It all depends on how you look at it. 

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Picking Yourself Up After a Breakup

Jaclyn Baker
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Every person we meet has something to teach us. Instead of thinking about all the things you could have done differently – think about all the things your relationship has taught you. 

Acknowledge Your Feelings

Of course, it’s normal to want to feel better right away after a breakup.

But at the same time, you don’t want to deny what you’re feeling. 

Acknowledging how you feel is part of the healing process.

So many of us often try to put on a brave face and hold back tears. 

Crying does have a soothing effect, helps relieve pain and can even help improve our mood. 

There is no right or wrong way to feel after a breakup. The sooner you accept and embrace your feelings, the sooner you can move past them.

Take Care of Yourself

Practicing self-care is key all year round – but it is that much more important during challenging or stressful events such as breakups.

Think about the things that make you happy and do more of them!

Connect With Others

Although it may be tempting to spend time in your room alone and reflect, you should be around people who love you.

We may not be able to spend time with our friends and family in person, but we can certainly connect with them via video chat.

Talking about your feelings can help you come to terms with them and better understand them.

Accept The Breakup

The sooner you accept the relationship has ended, the sooner you can move forward. 

Every person we meet has something to teach us. Instead of thinking about all the things you could have done differently – think about all the things your relationship has taught you. 

Recovering from a breakup doesn’t happen overnight. 

We all have our own way of healing and grieving.

Don’t rush the process. Take your time. Allow yourself to feel. You will be okay!

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4 Things to do When You Can’t Sleep

Jaclyn Baker
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Have you ever had one of those days where you just could not wait to go to sleep…

But as soon as your head hits the pillow, you find yourself wide awake?

There are a lot of things that can interfere with our sleep. Everything from stress to our environment can play a role.

If you’re ready to get your sleep routine back on track, these tips and help.

Change Your Environment

Your sleep environment may not feel significant – but it is!

When it comes to pillows and blankets, we all have our own personal preferences. Some prefer weighted blankets, while others prefer something light.

The less time you spend trying to become comfortable, the more time you can spend relaxing and unwinding. 

Practice a Calming Ritual

Not all of us can walk through the front door and immediately go to sleep.

Most of us need to engage in a relaxing activity for at least 30 minutes.

When it comes to activities, the list is endless. You can take a hot shower, read a book or stretch.

Now, this is important. You don’t want to engage in an activity because you think you’re supposed to. You should find an activity you actually enjoy and look forward to every evening.

Turn off Electronics

Watching videos and texting friends is completely fine during the day, but not so much at night.

It’s so easy to lose track of time while scrolling through social media. 

Ten minutes of scrolling can easily turn into 30 minutes of scrolling if you aren’t careful.

Manage Anxious Thoughts

Have you ever been up at 2 AM, worrying about all the things that may or may not happen the next day?

Those evenings are never fun – and they happen to so many of us.

Although it’s much easier said than done, you have the power to change your thoughts.

Instead of thinking about that essay due tomorrow, you can think about how comfortable you are or things you’re grateful for. It may take some practice, but it’ll be well worth it. 

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So Many Tasks, So Little Time

Jaclyn Baker
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Do you ever feel like there aren’t enough hours in a day?

Do you ever feel like no matter how hard you work, your to-do list never seems to get finished?

You are not in that boat alone.

Here’s what to do.

Change The Stories You Tell Yourself

The next time you catch yourself, thinking “I have so much to do…”

Hit the pause button, and change the story you tell yourself.

Instead, try something more like this…

“I have a lot to get done today. I have had busy days in the past, and I will have more busy days in the future. I know I have what it takes, and I will succeed.”

Prioritize

We all have 168 hours a week to sleep, work, spend time with family and relax.

If you feel like your lists never get complete, you may be taking on too much.

You have to recognize what tasks can be delegated and which tasks need not be done at all.

Write It Out

You know that feeling when you have a task hanging over your head?

Yes, that is not a fun feeling. It makes it much harder to actually get things done because we’re so worried about what we may or may not forget.

No need to worry – there is an easy fix.

Whenever you’re feeling anxious by all your to-dos, pull out a piece of paper and jot down everything you’d like to get done that day.

There does not need to be any real order or structure. Your thoughts don’t even have to be written in full sentences. 

You are basically just getting all of your thoughts out of your head, and onto paper.

Once you’ve finished your rough notes, you can re-arrange them in order of priority. 

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Setting Intentions Instead of Resolutions

Jaclyn Baker
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Have New Year’s resolutions ever stressed you out?

If so, you are not alone!

So many of us worry we won’t be able to follow through with them or that we won’t set “the right ones.”

Here’s the deal. Typically, we set resolutions based on things we’d like to change in the future.

But why do we have to wait? Why can’t we start now?

Intentions are all about who we want to be in the present moment.

Think about it this way. What matters today may not necessarily matter in a year from now or even six months from now.

We live in a world that is constantly changing, and change can often impact our goals and values.

Now you might be thinking to yourself, “Okay, I’d love to start setting some intentions, but have no idea where to start.”

We’ve got you covered. Keep on reading to learn more. 

Start First Thing In The Morning

Of course, there will always be little things that pop up last minute, but it’s always a good idea to go into every day with some sort of a plan.

Starting out each day with a plan can help you prioritize tasks and know when it’s a good idea to say no. 

Check-in With Yourself Throughout The Day

Have you ever had one of those days that flew by in the blink of an eye? 

Even though those days can be fun, they can throw us off course. 

Every couple of hours throughout the day take a few minutes to think about how you’re feeling. 

Are you feeling rushed, excited, happy, nervous?

Whatever you may be feeling in that present moment, notice it!

Share Your Intentions With a Friend

It’s interesting. Simply sharing our intentions with friends can help them feel more real.

It can also make us feel more accountable to get things done. 

It never hurts to have someone on your side cheering you on! 

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You Can Still Network During COVID-19 – Here’s How

Jaclyn Baker
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Networking events are a fantastic way to meet like-minded people, grow your network and hand out business cards. 

As you know, in-person networking events and conferences have been put on hold for almost nine months now.

Just because we can’t actually get together with people face-to-face does not mean networking is off the table. 

We just have to go about it in a slightly different way. 

Keep on reading to learn how you can safely network during COVID-19.

Log Into Zoom Events Early:

Several speakers have been organizing virtual events via Zoom during the pandemic.

However, having solid one on one conversations via Zoom events isn’t always an option.

That is if you join the event on time…

A great way to sneak in some one on one time with the speaker is by attending the event 5 – 10 minutes early.

Chances are, the speaker will already be logged in to ensure everything is set up correctly.

You can take that opportunity to introduce yourself and even ask them a question if they have time. 

Follow Up:

Forming solid relationships takes time, energy and effort.

The simple act of following up only takes a few minutes but delivers results! 

Keep in mind, your follow up techniques don’t have to be fancy. 

A couple of days after the first meeting, you can send them a short and sweet email thanking them for their time and advice.

And about 2 – 4 weeks later, you can email them again to touch-base.

Be Active On Social Media:

Posting on social media is amazing, but it’s not always enough to form solid relationships with like-minded people.

Networking online does take some time and energy, but it will be well worth it in the long run.

Taking even 10 minutes out of your day to like and comment on popular content can help get your name out there. 

Don’t be afraid to start conversations with people who don’t know. Every friendship and business relationship has to start somewhere!

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Practices to Prevent Holiday Stress

Jaclyn Baker
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Time certainly does fly, and the holiday season will be here before we know it.

You know what they say. The holidays are the most wonderful time of the year. 

But they can also be quite stressful. Everything from sending holiday cards to finding the ‘perfect’ gift can bring on anxiety. 

The good news is, there are several tips and tricks that can help make the holiday season less stressful.

Keep on reading to learn more.

Set Priorities: 

Even though this year our holiday events will be smaller and/or take place virtually, we still need to set priorities. 

We only have so many hours in a day and can only attend so many virtual events without feeling burned out. 

Don’t be afraid to politely decline events if you ever feel like you have too much on your plate. 

Set a Schedule: 

When life gets busy, we can often forget to take breaks or differentiate between high priority and low priority tasks.

Some tasks should be completed before others. And some tasks don’t even need to be completed at all.

As we stated earlier, everything from sending cards to buying gifts to preparing meals can be exhausting. 

We all have our own focus style. Some people prefer doing difficult tasks all in one sitting. 

While others prefer breaking up difficult tasks and slowly working on them throughout the day.

It all comes down to what works best for you. 

Take Shortcuts If You Can:

Holiday traditions are not an all or nothing thing.

Never feel guilty about putting yourself first. If you’re ever at a virtual event and too exhausted to stay until the end, you can always leave a little bit early. 

Self-care is important all year round. If you have a feeling the holidays may be a bit stressful this year, there is no need to worry.

Simply listen to your body and carve out some extra me-time. 

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