What Day Is It? Life After the Holidays

Be An Elf

Even if you haven't seen the 2003 movie Elf with Will Ferrell, I hope the lines from it that I've sprinkled throughout this article will bring a little joy to your day, and bring a smile to your face. There can be a little bit of magic to the holiday season, and bringing that infectious sense of wonder and joy to your life after the holidays are over by taking care of yourself is what I (an eternal goofball) will be covering.

When You Feel Like A Holiday Zombie

If you are like many people, you may be dreading going to work and returning to normal life after your holiday vacation. You may feel discombobulated and have been eating a diet similar to that of Buddy from Elf, based on the four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corn, and syrup. Perhaps you have been wandering around the house in a bathrobe while binge-watching shows and movies. The last thing you feel is sexy or even like having sex. But as the new year has rung in and passed, you may feel like it is time to get a grip and get your life together because you feel you are slowly degrading into a cotton-headed ninny muggins.

However, before you rip into a bunch of New Year's resolutions, consider that living part of the life of an elf all year round is not entirely bad. Sure, diet and exercise are important but let's look at ways to treat every day like Buddy did at Christmas, in spirit at least.

Self Care

We all know that pampering ourselves through mindful activities like meditation, yoga, walks, and taking time for ourselves is a good idea. However, using some humor along with your approach to life is important as well. Here are a few ways to practice self-care with humor and fun:

Healthy Eating

Forget fad diets and make small changes to get your body back into a healthier groove. There are some things you should know. First, the most important thing I can tell you is that if you see gum on the street, leave it there. It isn't free candy. For those who want serious nutrition advice, check out our helpful guide: Nutrition Guide for Good Sex & Health. 

Find Humor In Everyday Tasks

Find the humor in your everyday moments by looking for the funny side in the mundane tasks of daily life by laughing at things when they go wrong, especially when things really go sideways. For example, if you were to cram eleven cookies into the VCR, just know you have not ruined anyone's life and try not to take things so seriously.

Make Everyday Tasks Fun

There are lots of ways to make mundane tasks fun and even turn it into a family activity. For example, you can make folding laundry a competition. In my family, we have what we call a 'sock-off' when we put away laundry. We get all the socks laid out, everyone has the same number, and we see who is the first to put them together. The last one or two people to connect all their socks has to fold the rest of the laundry. When there are kids, you can give them fewer socks or a head start to compensate for developing motor skills.

Find The Funny

Be careful how many stressful things you watch or read. Make sure to find humorous content to help reduce stress and improve your mood. If you have to travel to find it, an excellent place to start is by going down to the seven levels of the candy cane forest which is just past the sea of swirly and twirly gumdrops. It's gorgeous there! Of course you can just take a drive to a scenic area in your location as well.

Purge Toxic People

If you spend time with people that bring you down, find ways to cut them out of your life or minimize contact. If they smell like mushrooms and everyone looks like they want to hurt you, it's time to move on. If you need to be bold, tell them they smell like beef and cheese and sit on a throne of lies! (Just kidding, I always encourage people to speak with respect toward one another).

Surrounding yourself with positive people who can make you laugh will not just provide stress relief but can improve your health. If meeting someone, you can do what Buddy does and ask things about themselves like, "What's your favorite color?" When someone does something well, like making the best cup of coffee, take a moment to tell them by saying something like, "You did it! Congratulations! World's best cup of coffee! Great job, everybody!" After all, being positive is the best way to create the world you want.

Practice Gratitude

Focus on the things you appreciate and are grateful for, even if they are small and insignificant. This can change your perspective in life, giving you a better appreciation for what you have.

Don't Get Distracted By Negativity

Don't allow yourself to become distracted by negative things in the world. While acknowledging that they are real and challenging, stay focused on those things that are beautiful and inspiring, as those are the things that will motivate and empower you to live your best life and do what you came to this life to do.

Get Playful

Do things that are silly and playful, allowing your inner child to be expressed. Play games, dance, or sing. After all, like Buddy the elf says, the best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear. Allow yourself to lighten your mood and others to bring some levity to your self-care routine.

Be Active

You don't have to think of exercise as exercise. Maybe making gingerbread houses and eating cookie dough is not the best idea, but you can do fun things like make snow angels for two hours, go ice skating, and snuggle when you are finished. Make exercise more about being active through activities that make you sweat and are fun. Movement is the most important thing for your body to stay happy and healthy, so find ways to keep moving, whether dancing, walking down the street, throwing a frisbee, or skipping rope. Also, make sure that when you exercise, you do so until your finger has a heartbeat to know you are truly alive.

Keep It Light

When people think of self-care, they often think of a hot bath, but you can also make it fun. Adding some toy ducks, singing the rubber ducky song, or wearing a funny hat into the tub can add humor to your life, even if it is just for you to get a chuckle out of it.

Make Sex Fun

Improving your sex life can simply mean adding some humor and playfulness to your intimate moments. After all, laughter can be a serious aphrodisiac, and perhaps tell your special someone, " I'm in love! I'm in love! And I don't care who knows it!" Also, take time to add some fun sex toys and sensual products like massage candles and flavored lubricants into the mix. See our Sex Tips guide for more ideas!

In Closing

With these humor-focused, post-holiday, get-yourself-together tips in mind, I hope you'll be well on your way to making your new year a good one with a little bit of fun that puts a smile on your face. After all, Buddy the Elf once said, "I like smiling. Smiling's my favorite."

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