Alright, we’re going to go deep in this one and talk about all of the decorating that goes on around this time of year. These decorations can range from lights, to blow ups, to generation old plastic Santa’s, life-size mangers or a giant menorah’s. Butt, you’re going to have a naked house after the holidays.
All of these are ways to demonstrate how we are going to celebrate our holiday season. We demonstrate outwardly why this time of the year is special to us. This can be inviting to some, off-putting to others. But it can be a time of the year that brings family together. It reminds us to serve, to give and to look beyond ourselves.
As a dad, you may not make the time to think about how you see yourself. It may be difficult to unpack all of who you are, but doing so might open new doors to stronger relationships and a more purpose driven life.
This article on getting naked after the holidays is going to address your home, actual and metaphorical. What happens after the holidays when you take all of the decorations down? Both inside, and out. What happens when you take the tree down, store the decorations for another year and put your matching Christmas jammies away?
Two Sides of Clean
For some people, putting these decorations out can be just as exciting as putting them away. You feel clean, find space, and have a fresh start. For others, it can be a sad experience where we are getting back to the daily grind. But the season, the feelings, tend to dissipate.
The tie back to health that I want to make is that of how we adorn ourselves. We dress up with clothing, jewelry, tattoos or even social media filters. This can be as simple as taking a shower and getting ready to leave the house. You take time to become proud of yourself.
These outward changes can impact how we feel about ourselves. We feel our confidence increase. Perhaps we are empowered to try new things and become better.
Post Holiday Reflection
But what happens when we have to put away the decorations? When the favorite outfit goes into the dirty laundry?
- Do you still exude that confidence?
- Are you still convinced of your worth?
- Do you recognize that the clothing/tattoos/muscles aren’t the best part of you?
The hope is that you love your home without the decorations just as much as you do with the decorations. It’s not the decorations that make a house a home.
Taking the time to reflect can help you overcome some of the self-defeating behaviors you may have. If we see ourselves as less-than it can be hard to see why others would love you. Maybe you have decided you are just lazy and as a result the idea of working out seems like something someone else would do.
Gifts to give yourself
Now that the gift giving season has ended, let’s look at some gifts you should give yourself to improve your overall health by getting naked after the holidays.
Self-worth
This year, I would encourage you to give yourself the gift of self-worth. Recognize that you are worth the space you take up in this world. That you are worth the trust that others have in you. That you are worth the time you are selfish to take care of yourself.
Mindfulness
Give yourself the gift of mindfulness. Take time to be present where you are, with who you are with. The world can beg your attention away from the hear and now in countless ways. Whether it is sports, books, social media, news, politics, etc. I am not saying that these things, in and of themselves, are bad. But ponder whether or not they are what you value most. Just like a budget causes you to look at where you spend your money, take time to reflect on how you spend your time.
Planning Ahead
Mindfulness leads into the next gift, the gift of planning ahead. Being present allows you to also see what is around you. Part of the reflection that happens, is wondering, “what got me here?”.
If you take the time to think about what you value, and you have an end goal in mind, then your personal reflection can cause you to see where your current habits will take you. If what you’re doing is going to get you where you want to go, change what you’re doing.
Goal Setting
The last gift I want you to consider giving yourself is the gift of goal setting. If you know where you want to be, and you understand you are worth it, then you will want to start to accomplish your desires. The gift of goal setting can provide payoffs each time you reach your goal. You will become more confident, more ambitious, more hopeful that the dream can become a reality. Consider these articles about improving a New Years Resolution or trying a New Year’s Health Experiment.
As a father, it can be important for you to model to your family what it means to value who you are. Getting naked after the holidays will allow your to peel back the layers of who you are.
Being conscious of your self-perception can be a way to improve communication between your spouse, your children, and yourself. That self-awareness can be empowering for adults and children, and we all want our children to be comfortable in their own skin.
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Article written by Zach Cordell, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist of www.cordellnutrition.com