Get Your Energy Back After the Holidays

It can be hard to get your energy back after the holidays. The holidays are behind us, but the months leading up to it were extra stressful. Whether you celebrated Hanukkah, Christmas, Diwali, or another winter holiday, there is pressure to uphold longstanding traditions and create new memories. You may take the “fake it until you make it” approach and do your best to manage the details for the sake of your children, especially after divorce. By faking it I am referring to ramping up your enthusiasm and lighting up your smile, even when you feel like curling up on the sofa and doing nothing.

That’s a real energy drain. The holidays can add stress to anyone’s life. But when you have lived through divorce and are enduring this confusing and changing health climate, it is understandable that your energy is zapped! If you are a parent, then you are even more exhausted. The good news is, you can get and stay energetic using natural methods.

Once you get your energy back, you will be more successful at achieving both your short- and long-term goals.

4 Tips to Get Your Energy Back After the Holidays

1. Monitor Your Fuel

The stress of divorce can cause some people to overeat. You are what you eat, especially in terms of how what you eat contributes to how you feel. Use a pad or make notes on your cell phone and log in your breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and drinks throughout the day.

Keep a food and drink log for one or two weeks. I know it seems tedious, but you can do it. You will be creating a map of sorts that leads you to a treasure of who you can become. Make notes on what you eat and how you are feeling when you eat it.

What drinks do you reach for? Do you crave caffeine, sugary drinks, or alcohol (which is also sugary)? Log how you feel before and after you eat or drink. Is it hunger or thirst that motivates your action? If not, what is the emotional reason you crave and consume the food or drink?

2. Add New Foods and Omit Other Foods

When it comes to eating you need to know what to leave in and what to leave out. That reminds me of Bob Seger’s “Against the Wind:”

Well those drifter’s days are past me now
I’ve got so much more to think about
Deadlines and commitments
What to leave in, what to leave out

Figure out what causes you grief when you eat it. The grief can be physical upset or feelings of anger or regret once you have eaten it. Choose to stop buying these foods. In general, highly processed foods such as frozen meals, salty snacks, and commercial cookies will cause physical upset and feelings of low self-worth.

On the other hand, identify what makes you feel great! When you make home-cooked meals or eat with a loved one, what are those foods? How do they make you feel? What makes your gut feel good? What contributes to your energy? Identify and note the answers to these questions and add more of these foods and drinks to your daily intake.

This is NOT a diet! It is about being aware and tuning in to your intuition.

Begin to add in rejuvenating foods. For example, drink more water each day. An easy way to drink more water is to fill your mug or glass with water before you drink your coffee, tea, soft drink, or cocktail. Creating this new habit has a double benefit. The extra water will boost your hydration and likely lessen the amount of non-nourishing drinks you consume.

3. Make Movement Important

Whether you want to get back to the gym or begin or add to a home exercise routine, you will get your energy back as you add movement to your day. When you expend energy with exercise and stimulate your circulatory and respiratory systems, you will feel more energized

It is counterintuitive to some degree, but exertion will leave you feeling accomplished and vibrant. Start small and simple. Or, if you have an exercise routine that you love, consider adding another day per week or 10 more minutes per session. Exercise will help you get and stay energetic.

4. Declutter Your Mind

When your mind is racing and jumping from one thought to the next, you are consuming energy. This will soon lead to feeling exhausted. Being present with one project, one conversation, or one action at a time will save your energy while it calms your mind.

When your mind is racing or ruminating, bring yourself back to the present moment by consciously taking five inhalations and five exhalations. While consciously breathing, if you can, remove your shoes and press the soles of your feet onto the floor. In your mind, tell yourself, “Be here now.”

Once you feel more centered, use a tool such as your calendar to unload the to-do’s that are disturbing you. Schedule time to deal with the matters on your mind. Then return to conscious breathing, “planting” your feet, and being here and now in this moment.

Following these tips can lessen your exhaustion and lack of motivation after the holidays/divorce. Adopting these four tips in small ways on a continual basis is a great approach to reaching the successful outcome you want. It’s time for a new beginning and you are empowered to make it happen!