I’ve always enjoyed the holidays.
Everyone is cheerful and in a good mood, and there is just a different, more joyous atmosphere all around. So, I embrace the holiday season. This is the time of year when it’s reasonable to let your foot off the gas pedal a little bit.
However, the key phrase there is “a little bit.” Enjoy the holidays, but don’t get too comfy.
You still have goals, so you need to balance them with enjoying the season. This can be challenging for some of us. Over the years, I’ve heard countless stories of people who pack on 10, 15, 20 lbs or more and completely fall off all their good habits/routines during this time of year or forego starting that business or side hustle because, “Well, it’s the holidays.” Not cool.
As a result, I think some Christmas motivation is in order. Here are some simple tips for maintaining motivation during the holidays while also enjoying the season. Keep reading to learn more.
1. Decide on a Minimum Requirement
This tip refers to the habits you want to maintain over the holidays.
If you know you’re going to be letting your foot off the gas pedal, give yourself a minimum requirement for your habits. For example, if exercise is a habit you want to maintain, give yourself a 10 to 15-minute minimum daily exercise requirement over the holidays.
It could be anything you want:
- Weight lifting
- Running
- Yoga
- Shadow boxing
- Stretching
A minimum requirement makes sticking to your habits easy during the holidays. I talk about this all the time: make success easy for yourself.
If you do, your Christmas motivation will be much more robust. Success is all about making your action steps as streamlined as possible so that you’ll actually do what you said you’d do.
2. Harness the Power of Gratitude
Good things tend to sprout from a grateful heart. All too often, we become consumed with what’s missing instead of focusing on what’s abundant, and that’s a major detriment to happiness. It’s hard to get more when you’re not thankful for what you already have.
For this reason, gratitude is a great way to catapult your Christmas motivation and put you on the fast track to hitting your goals.
And you can tap into the incredible power of gratitude with two simple words: thank you. That’s it. I can’t think of a lower bar to entry that can create such a powerful change in your life. Be thankful for the milestones you’ve already hit, the progress you’ve already made, and the goals you’ve already achieved.
Gratitude alleviates the pressure of always needing and wanting more.
Now, don’t get me wrong; a little discontent in life is a good thing. It’s what propels you forward. However, being grateful is how you feel satisfaction with where you are as you strive toward where you want to be.
3. Everything in Moderation
I’ll be the first to tell you that you need to continue with your habits and disciplines during the holidays. However, you don’t need to be so rigid that you can’t let loose a little. It’s all about moderation. Enjoy the holiday season. Spend time with friends and family. Dial back the workload, etc.
Then, once the holidays have come and gone, you can pick up where you left off and get back on the grind.
Remembering the importance of moderation will help keep your Christmas motivation intact. It will also help reduce holiday stress and make the season more enjoyable.
Final Thoughts
Yes, the holidays are a time to let loose. However, that doesn’t make them an excuse to completely fall off the self-improvement bandwagon. You still have to stay the course, even if you’re slowing down a bit to enjoy this time of year. Nothing changes in that regard.
And the best part about it all is that these simple strategies are quick and easy and can help keep your Christmas motivation intact during the holiday season. And if you need additional help, sign up for The Motivated And Disciplined Newsletter below.
