Nine Ways to Make Sure the Holidays Don’t Feel Like an Endurance Event
Most of us are unprepared for the marathon of holiday activities and events we must navigate from now until January 1st. Jill Palmquist shares some training tips to shift your perspective and take you to the finish line with joy and love left to share.
CHANHASSEN, MN (December 2024)—The holidays can feel more like a marathon than the season of connection and love (and cookies and candy and eggnog!) they’re meant to be. We’re so overwhelmed by the sheer number of tasks, obligations, and events that we can barely enjoy them. That’s why Life Time Vice President Jill Palmquist says it’s time for some training to get your head—and heart—in the holiday frame of mind so you don’t burn out by January 1st.
“The holidays aren’t actually a marathon, but we can train for them just the same,” says Palmquist, author of In This Lifetime (Wise Ink, September 2024, ISBN: 978-1-63489-689-4, $105.00). “We’re already in December…but there’s still time to make some mindset shifts, perspective shifts, and other changes to get you through the season with your joy intact.”
Palmquist is a bit of an evangelist about staying open to the wonders that abound this time of year. Well…all times of the year, to be fair. Her coffee table book is a master class in waking up to the magic of simply being alive. In This Lifetime is filled with breathtaking photographs, thought-provoking essays, proverbs, parables, conversation starters, and snippets of life wisdom to help you be present for the holidays and beyond.
The fitness analogy is no coincidence. Palmquist’s book distills the knowledge of Life Time, a Minnesota-based brand that has redefined the fitness industry through its unwavering commitment to the well-being of the planet and its people. With 1.5 million members (growing exponentially via a reimagined digital app), 175 athletic country club locations, thirteen coworking spaces, and four new luxury apartment buildings, Life Time goes far beyond fitness to encompass all aspects of health.
Try these training tips to get you “fit” for the holidays in no time.
Realize that everything—and every day—is cause for celebration… You get to be responsible for your own holiday cheer. This doesn’t mean making every day a showstopping event; instead, it’s about creating special moments wherever possible. Get out the good china. Light some candles. Put on some festive music while you’re doing your chores. Wear your candy cane-patterned leggings to your fitness class…and to work. Why? Why not!
…But pace yourself. Celebrating doesn’t mean going overboard on the meal prep, the gifts, the festivities, and the décor (unless doing those things brings you lots of joy). As Palmquist writes in her book, “Keep things simple.” It’s the best way to stay present and focus on what is truly important to you this time of the year.
Periodically pause to get out of your head and into your body. Feel your heartbeat. (It beats 100,000 times a day.) Look at your strong, beautiful legs. Take in what the two million working parts of your eyes are showing you—the shimmering lights, the dance of the fireplace flames, the faces of your children. Let the smells of the holidays—pine boughs, sugar cookies, peppermint—transport you back to childhood. (Your nose remembers more than your eyes.)
Keep the “machine” moving. Palmquist writes in her book, Do you have any idea what an amazing machine this body of yours is? Well, the holidays are no excuse for letting the machine get rusty.Bundle up and go for a jog. (Hey, would the Universe give us high-tech weatherproof activewear if we aren’t meant to use it?) Make a pact with a friend to go to at least two yoga classes together each week. Or sign up for Life Time’s 20-day Holiday Hustle program from their digital app and enjoy low-stress daily movement challenges to take you through the season.
Palmquist also writes, You will never find time for anything. This certainly applies to exercise. If you want your body to feel your best, you have to make time for it.
Nourish your body with energizing, health-giving foods. Resist the urge to carb-load your way through the season. (Again, you’re not literally running a marathon!) Check in with your appetite to make sure you aren’t stress-eating or snacking mindlessly through the next month or so. While there’s nothing wrong with enjoying seasonal indulgences (hello, gingerbread lattes!), center your diet on healthy whole foods. These provide a fountain of energy to help you move through the holidays.
Practice radical rest. Sleep is essential for rest and recovery. Follow some nightly rituals to help you get the rest you need during your precious down time. Wind down for the night with some soft music and stretching. Pull the curtains and lower the temperature so your room stays cool and dark. Make your bed a nighttime sanctuary with luxurious bedding and plenty of pillows. Then drift away as visions of sugarplums dance in your head. (Okay…maybe not sugarplums…more like spa days or holiday wine tastings or luxury handbags. Can they dance too?)
Activate your tribe. If you want to thrive during the holidays, be selective about whom you spend time with. Who energizes you? Who drains you? If someone does not bring you authentic joy, politely decline to attend their event this year and instead do something with those you enjoy. You deserve to be with people who love and uplift you during the holidays.
Take care of each other. Palmquist writes, Realize in one day there are one thousand opportunities to be kind. Nothing gives you an energizing boost and that “feel-good” feeling quite like helping your fellow humans. Find a way to give of yourself to someone who needs a hand. It could be a financial gift, a gesture, or an act of service. This season is so much more meaningful when you show caring to others.
Check in with yourself each day. “The holidays can be triggering,” says Palmquist. “For all the joy they bring, they are also chaotic and stressful and can spark feelings of nostalgia and sadness. Spend a few minutes each day noticing what is coming up for you amid the celebrations and busyness. Give yourself what you need.”
Are you feeling sad or edgy? What do you need to stay present? Can you find traces of gratitude or joy? What would bring you contentment today? Use a journal to work out your feelings or just simply be still and allow them to be here.
“The holidays are not meant to leave you depleted and dragging yourself into the New Year,” concludes Palmquist. “It’s time for a better game plan that brings you renewal, hope, and love. That’s what life is all about, and that’s never truer than during this magical, miraculous season of joy.”
About the Author:
Jill Palmquist is Life Time vice president and chief storyteller and the author of In This Lifetime, a coffee table book that celebrates the beauty and reminds us of the brevity of the human experience.A graduate of the University of Minnesota School of Journalism, she worked as an agency copywriter. With the birth of her daughter, she took a leap to go freelance, working on a variety of fun brands for a variety of fun companies, including luxury leisure and lifestyle company Life Time.
While never pretending to understand the founder’s brilliant brain, she did understand his heart and realized her desire to help people see the magnificence of their lives was completely aligned with his. Both her love of the company and responsibilities grew, proving what they say is true: time flies when you’re having fun. (That baby girl is now 23 years old.) While happy with all the work she’s done for the company, it’s true fulfillment she feels in contributing to the brand’s recent transformation.
About the Book:
In This Lifetime (Wise Ink, September 2024, ISBN: 978-1-63489-689-4, $105.00) is available from Life Time, Inc.
About Life Time:
Life Time (NYSE: LTH) empowers people to live healthy, happy lives through its portfolio of more than 170 athletic country clubs across the United States and Canada. The health and wellness pioneer also delivers a range of healthy-way-of-life programs and information via its complimentary Life Time Digital app. The company’s healthy living, healthy aging, healthy entertainment communities and ecosystem serve people 90 days to 90+ years old and is supported by a team of more than 45,000 dedicated professionals. In addition to delivering the best programs and experiences through its clubs, Life Time owns and produces nearly 30 of the most iconic athletic events in the Country.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
