The holiday season is a busy time: a joyous time. A time when we get together with loved ones and enjoy their company. There is something that people seem to always plan for whether it's this particular holiday in December, other holidays or even while on vacation.
During these holidays and/or vacations people can sometimes have a tendency to throw caution to the wind. If you listen closely to people's conversations around this time or go into different workplaces you will hear the conversations and see the substances that people are looking forward to or already are indulging in.
Whether it is the sweet, the salty, or an extra serving or two of dinner possibly coupled with a few festive beverages people look forward to these aspects of the holiday season. Again, if you listen to the conversations you may even hear, in their language, the way they are planning on overindulging and possibly even joking about doing such things.
One thing I have come to realize for absolute certainty is that although we may take vacations or holidays from work our bodies and minds absolutely never take holidays. So when we do decide to take the second or third helping or the fourth or fifth drink, our bodies do not say, 'oh, it must be the holiday, I'll make sure to let this third helping and the next several drinks pass through my system so as to minimize the impact on my body'.
I bring it up because we do these things to ourselves and I have certainly, in the past, been guilty of the same things. I've lived with the consequences of my decisions and my body and mind have felt the effects of my overindulgence. Why do we do this to ourselves and then make jokes about it and laugh at ourselves never seeing the absurdity in these actions playing out?
This holiday season I am committed to stay on my current path of health and will not be overindulging because it has become a holiday custom. My body and mind will not be taking a 'vacation' from living a healthful life because, there really is no such thing. Will I enjoy time with family and friends along with great meals? Absolutely!
Why is this important? Because I want to be my best self and it is a practice that I want to follow as much as possible on a daily basis.
I wish you, your mind and your body the happiest and healthiest of holidays.
As always, Strive To Optimize!