As someone who celebrates Christmas, this past week was a busy one. The holiday season can take its toll on us in many ways, and while I tend to shine a spotlight on mental wellness during the holidays, there are other areas of wellness that are important to remember. Sometimes I forget about the connection between my physical health and my mental health, but when I forget to take care of my wellness, my body reminds me in a major way.
I’ve written about the link between the different areas of health before, but I also know how much I focus on the mental aspect of things. While that’s good for my wellness most of the time, sometimes that leads to neglect in other areas of health that need attention.
During the holidays, one of the biggest areas that’s neglected is our physical health. It’s easy to understand why we might not eat as healthy during the holidays, and that doesn’t necessarily have to affect people so heavily. But for me, the combination of a different diet and less exercise than usual made me feel a little more sluggish than normal. And instead of acknowledging and understanding that, my first thought was that my mental health was in a rough place.
There are many forms of wellness, and it’s important that they don’t get neglected for long periods of time. But there’s a lot going on this time of year, and it’s easy to forget how long an area of your wellness has been neglected. For instance, I went almost a full week without meditation (something I’ve grown used to doing multiple times per week), and didn’t acknowledge the impact that had on me.
We’re not always going to feel like our best physical selves during this time of year, and that’s okay. Where it turns to trouble is if we beat ourselves up for doing so, or think that another area of our wellness is lacking because of how we feel physically. Everyone deserves time to rest and relax, to eat delicious food they don’t normally eat and have fun in ways that make them feel good.
It’s been a long, hard year, and unlike most years, this one has a harsher ending than most. If you don’t feel 100% in every aspect of your wellness, that’s okay. Take the time you need to rest, recharge, and lift yourself up in the areas you need it, and remember that lacking in an area of wellness is normal, and even expected sometimes. Wishing everyone all the strength they need for the week ahead!
My Brain's Not Broken 
It’s so easy to forget about this connection, sometimes. I try to make it a daily habit to acknowledge the stress that this time of the year, as well as the rest of my life, puts on me. I have a habit of focusing more on my mental wellness than my physical wellness. And then when I pay attention to the physical side of things, I realize that some of the things I assumed were a reflection of my mental wellbeing were in fact my body merely telling me that I needed something. Be it rest, sleep, or proper nourishment.
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Listening to your body can be very tricky, but I’m glad that you’re able to see those connections. It can be hard to see throughout the year, but I feel like this is a very specific time of year when we can be tripped up. Just like you said, it’s easy to think that your body’s needs are a reflection of your mental wellbeing, but that’s not always the case! Thanks for sharing.
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There are many forms of wellness, and it’s important that they don’t get neglected for long periods of time. But there’s a lot going on this time of year, and it’s easy to forget how long an area of your wellness has been neglected. so,I prefer to do yoga to balance mentally as well as physical wellness.
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This absolutely is the case! All aspects of our health are interconnected and can be affected both individually and independently by just about anything. Spiritual health and social health are two other factors of health I like to explore with people, as well! Keeping it all in check can be difficult, especially when culturally we have a lot going on for holidays. Thanks so much for your words and for helping others draw these important connections!
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I like the term ‘social health,’ thanks for naming that! You’re totally right, it can be difficult to keep it all in check at once, but I’m so glad to see more people are recognizing those connections. Thank you for sharing, and for your kind words!
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