Episode 32: How to Have Safe, Healthy, & Intentional Holidays w/ Dear Pandemic

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As you pack away your Halloween decorations and begin looking toward the start of the holiday season if you're anything like me you're already feeling the worry and overwhelm starting to bubble up. The holiday season during ANY year can be stressful for families, especially moms who carry so much of that load.

But this year is a whole other story.

This year we have a pandemic to worry about...

And perhaps you're feeling pulled in a lot of different directions: Pressure from relatives who want to keep holiday traditions, guilt that your kids are missing out on so much right now, and overwhelm that it all seems to be on you. That you have to think about how to alter things to make it fun, and magical, and memorable, while also keeping everyone you love healthy and safe.

It's a lot.

But what if, instead of being weighed down by this pressure and (I'll admit it: GRIEF) we used this unique moment in time as an OPPORTUNITY to strip away the holiday "clutter" and come home to your true INTENTIONS for the holidays. What if we use this time to get clear on what we really want out of the holidays, what MATTERS to us (and to our children), and craft a holiday season with traditions and rituals that support those true, deeper intentions.

​There are many ways for us to celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year that are meaningful, magical, and FUN, without putting our health at risk.

​In this episode, I am honored to have two of the "nerdy girls" behind Dear Pandemic join me in discussing how to be intentional and SAFE while we celebrate this holiday season. Dear Pandemic's mission is to educate and empower individuals to successfully navigate the COVID -19 overwhelm. They provide credibly, curated, and timely information about the pandemic. I was so excited to sit down with them (over zoom!) to discuss how to have a safe AND wonderful holiday season.

​Here are important notes for you to apply in the upcoming holidays:

  • Be clear- Dig down into what's really important to you and the people you celebrate with (INCLUDING YOUR KIDS). It's ok to let go of a tradition that isn't serving you any longer.

  • Be creative - If there are traditions that are meaningful to you that you don't want to lose, get creative on how to keep them going in a COVID-friendly way.

  • Be curious- If there is resistance or anger about the changes, seek to understand what's under those feelings. Usually, there is something softer.

  • Be compassionate- This is new and strange and hard for all of us, a little bit of compassion for ourselves and others goes a long way!

​Keep yourself updated with science-based information on COVID-19 and visit their website dearpandemic.org. Tune in to their Dear Pandemic Podcast as well and follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.