Respect your limits
While it’s tempting to want to do all of the things all of the time, take breaks from seeing lots of people and listen to your body. If you’ve had a big day, simple tasks can make you more tired the next day. By listening to your body and knowing your limits, you’ll enjoy your time more in the special holiday moments.
Take your medication
Especially with lots of exciting things going on in the holidays, it can be easy to forget to take your medication if this is something you do. But taking your meds means keeping your health on track which will lead to your sustained happiness. Please remember to take time out to do this each day! You’ll thank yourself for always remembering to do it.
Think about what you’re putting in your body
The holidays are a great time to indulge. But sometimes the foods we eat, or the quantity, can react with our bodies in unsuspecting ways. Plan to enjoy special foods while also balancing healthy eating. It’s awful feeling sick and not being able to enjoy yourself.
Charge your wheelchair
If you use an electric wheelchair, you know there’s nothing worse than running low or running out of power. When times get busy or you have other things on your mind, it’s an easy thing to forget. Making sure your chair is charged is one less thing to worry about when you’re trying to enjoy your time over the break. Try charging it overnight so you wake up with full power for the next day.
Move your body
After sitting all day at a family gathering, your joints and tendons can become very tight. Getting your body moving after being still will help with blood circulation and make you feel more relaxed. You can even ask a family member or carer for a massage to get your blood flowing to your limbs. Alternating long periods of being stationary with some movement can not only help with your physical health, but make you feel calmer and more relaxed mentally too!
Get organised
Do you ever look around your house and think “I’ve got to tidy that up” or “I must organise that shelf”? The holidays are a great time to do it! It might be your clothes, your make-up, your books or your medications. Make that change you’ve been wanting to do to put your mind at ease and make your life easier going into a new year.
Take a break from advocacy
Being part of the disability community and advocating can be exhausting. Take a break during the holidays to recharge. Let the people around you advocate for you while you enjoy talking about other things for a while. They might even explain things in a different way to other people that you’d like to adopt going into 2020.
