Written by Tanisha Shanee for This is Her Journey
The holiday season is upon us. Once we start seeing all the advertisements for pumpkin spice everything, we know next comes Thanksgiving and Christmas. Happy, happy. Joy. No?
For the last 6 years, the holiday season has been difficult for me.
In 2011, I found out I was pregnant and my baby would be born around Thanksgiving. On April 1st however, I had a miscarriage.
Sadly, I never looked at the holidays the same. But once I started my lifestyle journey in 2012, I started to view life a little differently.
You see, God started to speak to me about healing. God is a healer and He wants to be a part of your journey. He wants to be a part of every aspect of our lives.
When I started my lifestyle journey, I focused on healing my body because at that time my weight was my main focus. Over the last 3 years my focus has expanded to healing other aspects of my life.
That’s why I want to share with you some tips on what you can do if the holiday season is not your favorite time of the year.
Heal Your Body
Did you know people gain anywhere from 10-30 pounds between the holiday season?
Well, all of that is not because they are attending amazing, fun filled holiday parties. People get very depressed and suffer from winter blues, so those sales on pumpkin and apple pies always entices their depression.
My cure to healing my body during the holidays is to focus on delicious green smoothies and amazing warm soups.
Here’s the recipe for my favorite green smoothie to keep me upbeat…which by the way might not look green, but is great for the body:
- 1-2 small whole beets
- 2-3 handfuls of fresh baby spinach
- 2 fresh radish
- 1 cup of blueberries or blackberries
- ½ banana
- Sprinkle ground ginger (I love a lot in mine, yum!)
- Coconut or filtered water
- BLEND together!
This concoction works great as a pick me up and can replace some of the extra goodies you are eating, like that apple pie.
As for soup, I tend to avoid heavy cream soups, so no clam chowder for me. Traditional chicken vegetable soup or a delicious 3 bean soup based with tomato or pumpkin soup (try Trader Joe’s) are great substitues.
My secret recipe to ANY soup I make however is adding ground or fresh ginger to my soups for extra greatness to my body.
Warm soup for breakfast before heading out in the morning will heal your insides and put a smile on your face.
Heal Your Spirit
This is where I want to help you to not dig yourself into a ditch; doing so can be very easy.
From 2011-2014, if I did not have to work, I stayed in bed and felt sorry for myself. I cried a lot. But, one day God intervened.
He sent a young woman who was seeking help through the holiday season and it was not just for weight loss. She battled with depression after losing her mother that year.
Despite feeling sorry for myself, I started to conduct lifestyle coaching sessions with her. I purposely scheduled our meetings on the weekend to get me out of my funk.
That lifted my spirits. Why? As she felt better and saw results in her life, it took me away from my own pity party.
It also help me to fully accept God’s purpose for my own tragedies and personal loss.
He knew one day I would have to help someone else to journey through the holidays – mind, body, and spirit.
You can do something similar by volunteering your time at a local soup kitchen, read books to cancer patients, or find something you love to do and seek an organization that could use your help and love.
Others are hurting during this time of the year and they too, need someone to show them that someone cares.
“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” (Psalms 147:3 ESV)
God Is The Answer
I want to leave you with two final thoughts.
First, push yourself to get out and be there for someone else when you are feeling down. Second, lean on God for healing because He does heal.
He has provided us with the resources to heal our bodies naturally and His love will help to heal you from any loss or loneliness you may feel during this season.
I want you to smile right now because I am.
After two miscarriages, I am not 100% healed, but I trust God’s plan and guess what?
Every year I open myself to be there for men and women as they seek to heal their minds, bodies, and spirits during this season.
If you want to join me, please visit my at TanishaShanee.com to learn more about my upcoming “Journey Through The Holidays” lifestyle healing group.
With Love,
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