Avoiding Holiday FOMO
We are only a few weeks away from what many would consider to be the kickoff to the holiday season - Halloween!
Bring on the treats! Bring on the sweets! Bring on the....guilt. :( That winds up being the narrative for a lot of people during the holidays.
But what if it didn't have to be that way? And what if the other option did not necessitate that you restrict yourself from enjoying many of the fun foods you love during the holidays? Hmmmmm.....
I read a very discouraging quote from FittInsider the other day...and I truly believe it comes out of many people believing that their only options are guilt or no fun. It stated “44% of people [who want to improve their health] believe actually achieving overall well-being may be impossible." If you truly felt that these were your only two options, I can completely understand why it would feel impossible.
Now, you may be thinking that the direction I'm going with this is to tell you "everything in moderation." But it's not quite that simple. Because if moderation still feels like deprivation to you...you're going to find yourself in the same lose-lost situation. And that's often how people feel - like they are still restricting themselves in a way they don't want to.
So... let's try something new!
I want to invite you to look at the two following statements and marinate on them. Try them on. Try to imagine each one being your "motto" for the holidays. How does each one leave you feeling? And - importantly - which one is more likely to land you in the New Year feeling happy, healthy, and proud of yourself (without feeling like you missed out)?
I’m someone who cares about what I put in my body and so I’ll have a bite or two and savor it, but going overboard is not something that interests me.
I want to go overboard so bad but I want to lose weight so I’m going to just have a bite or two.
You see, it's not just about what you do. It's about why you do it. It's about your values and what matters to you. And if you can get clear on what you want to value during this holiday season and beyond and get clear on how you want to feel come January 1, 2024, then that path to health might just start to feel a little less impossible.
If you find yourself in need of support in remembering this, try putting this quote on a sticky note and placing it somewhere that you'll see it often:
“There’s a significant difference between what you want to achieve (goals) and who you want to become (your identity). A goal is vulnerable to the endless changes in life. An identity is permanent and can weather any storm.” - Adam Bornstein from his book You Can't Screw This Up
Hey...
You can do this.