It’s freezing out there, and Mariah Carey is living rent-free in your brain again. That’s right, it’s that time of year! It’s the perfect time to sit back and relax, but you might want to follow a few of these tips if you’re going to make the most out of these fourteen days of rare freedom.
Step one.
Respect the religions and cultural differences of those around you – not everyone celebrates the winter holidays with a Christmas tree and presents that a big red man with a non-existent hairline pulls out of his ass. While it’s the holidays for everyone, keep in mind that families may celebrate different things during this season. It is essential to realize that these differences make us unique and wonderful in our own ways. TLDR; don’t throw your raisin cakes at people who don’t take pleasure in choking on eggnog and green bean casseroles.
Good ways to be mindful of others can be something as simple as saying “Happy holidays!” or “Happy New Year’s!” instead of “Merry Christmas,” or if you’re feeling quirky, learning and including decorations and celebrations from other cultures into your usual Christmas routine. It’s a good way of getting acquainted with unique traditions from across the globe, while also working on your inclusivity and understanding of others.
Step two.
Enjoy all the little things, stop worrying about that assignment that you didn’t do well on, stop worrying about those two people that left you on ‘seen’, stop worrying about that 53 on your report card; you’ll probably outlive all those vampires anyway. You got this! Instead of wasting your time and energy thinking about the past, why don’t you spend your time building a snowman, maybe an endearing letter to Santa, better yet, hand-deliver it to the old man’s doorsteps. On a more serious note, we at the Reckoner would generally recommend dropping the letter for Santa off somewhere special; we found that your parents’ desk usually works best.
It’s the holidays, spend it with your closest family and friends; enjoy yourselves. Take advantage of this well-deserved rest; it’s better that way. Spend your time doing all the things that make you happy, especially those that you had felt guilty about “wasting” your time on. In fact, taking a break from things often can help improve focus and concentration, even allowing you to reset your mindset and be better prepared for the new semester up ahead. Everything is fixable with a few shots of espresso and some clamps to hold your eyelids open – after the holidays, anyway.
What is more crucial than fretting over your grades from three weeks ago is establishing a stricter boundary between productive time and relaxation and aim to better manage your time in the new year. A well-balanced and reasonable schedule tends to work better than trying to convince your already exhausted and depleted brain that you can remain focused on a task for five hours non-stop.
Step three.
Do make some New Year’s Resolutions. It’s the beginning of a new year but also a new chapter of your life. Reflect on the past year, things that you had accomplished, some things that you might want to look towards improving in the new year. 2022 will be a blank and new slate, and it is up to you to determine how you want it to look like.
Making resolutions that are realistic and achievable gives you an opportunity for change and improvement. Take the time to really reflect, and formulate clear, relevant , attainable, and precise goals for yourself. If done right, these resolutions will assist you in concentrating your efforts and accomplishing whatever it is that you look to achieve. It is always good to plan and make resolutions, giving you a clearer sense of priorities, motivation, and achievement when you (hopefully) get through to ticking those boxes by the end of 2022.
When making these resolutions, be sure to specifically pay attention to your own thoughts – consider meditating to effectively communicate with your deeper consciousness. Remember that these are your own resolutions, and no one else’s unrealistic expectations should affect you in building these resolutions. Of course, keep your goals relevant and somewhat benevolent, but focus on what you want to accomplish yourself. Burdening yourself over others’ expectations or views leads to unnecessary stress, leading to a plethora of issues. So please, ignore them, tell them to be quiet, duct tape their mouths shut, whatever it takes. Be yourself, and don’t be afraid of the process.
And that’s it! Enjoy yourself throughout these two weeks of well-deserved rest and remember that “Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards.”
Stay safe out there boys and girls and don’t let the frostbite, well, bite.
Photo: JillWellington on Pixabay.com
