The festive season can be particularly tricky for those, who struggle with overeating, binge eating and their relationship with food. The sheer amount of richer and sweeter foods available, mixed with huge amounts of stress and difficult family dynamics means that food can become a coping strategy. This is where Holiday, Thanksgiving and Christmas affirmations can help.
Research shows that positive affirmations can be useful in increasing mental resilience and even help improve the function of the immune system. And, if used well, it can become a powerful tool to handle holiday stress.
If you struggle with food and feel like it gets much worse over the holidays, it may be sensible to prepare for the festive season. Affirmations, or positive statements repeated to yourself are designed to create a shift in your perception and attitude towards a certain issue, such as overeating and binging.
Check out some of my favourite affirmations. Here you will find 42 Thanksgiving and Christmas affirmations, as well as some additional 42 New Year and Holiday affirmations. These are the periods when my clients and students struggle with food the most.
How to Use Holiday Affirmations
When it comes to using affirmations, repetition and consistency are key. If you repeat your chosen affirmation every day, you will begin to create a new neural pathway in the brain that helps change thought patterns and behaviours around overeating, binge eating or emotional eating.
If Thanksgiving is just around the corner, you certainly don't need to use ALL of the Thanksgiving affirmations to prepare, but rather, choose ONE that really resonates with you and makes sense to you.
Equally, you may want to have a couple of affirmations ready for specific situations. Let's say you really struggle with self-care and leftovers at Christmas because you traditionally celebrated it at your house.
In that case, pick a couple of Christmas affirmations that resonate with you around self-care and connecting to your body to leave the leftovers, instead of overeating or binging.
You can use holiday affirmations in different ways:
- Repeat out loud or in your head (I suggest doing it at least 3-5 times in a go, a few times per day)
- Write down on a piece of paper and read out loud.
- Record yourself saying the affirmations and listen to them regularly, or
- Listen to guided meditations with the affirmations as part of it.
At first, using affirmations may feel unnatural and alien, but aim to connect to the message that the positive statement has for you and most importantly, FEEL it in your body when you say it.
Try to use your chosen affirmation for at least 21 consecutive days for best results, which means you may want to start as you are preparing for the festivities ahead.
21 Positive Thanksgiving Affirmations
Thanksgiving, the first one in a row of the festive marathon, can bring a set of challenges, such as holiday preparations, emotional triggers linked to gatherings and family dynamics.
The societal focus on feasting and indulgence can trigger feelings of anxiety and guilt, in response to trigger foods, as well as further overeating and binging.
Therefore it's crucial to take time to prepare and set your mindset straight. This is where Thanksgiving affirmations can help you have a more conscious approach and help make it possible to navigate the Thanksgiving period with grace and self-compassion.
Some of my favourite Thanksgiving affirmations you can use now:
- I am grateful for each learning on the journey towards making peace with food.
- This Thanksgiving I choose gratitude over lack.
- This will be even tastier as leftovers.
- I don’t have to do what everyone else is doing.
- It’s OK to feel my emotions.
- I chose to take care of myself this Thanksgiving.
- I choose to listen to my body when it’s had enough.
- I am grateful for everything my body allows me to do and be.
- I can sit with discomfort, knowing, that it won’t last forever.
- I trust my body, it knows what it’s doing.
- I will get through this.
- I give myself permission to enjoy food and release guilt.
- My happiness is a priority.
- No food is off-limits, as long as I am mindful.
- I am learning how to be present with food.
- I give myself the freedom to eat for pleasure and nourishment.
- Emotional eating, overeating and binging are losing their grip on me.
- I give myself permission to prioritise self-care this Thanksgiving.
- I am proud of how far I have come in my journey to make peace with food.
- I choose to be kind and gentle with myself today.
- Today, I am in control of my food choices.
21 Positive Christmas Affirmations
Christmas can bring about its own unique challenges, especially when it comes to food. The festive season is often associated with an abundance of indulgent meals, sweet treats, and social gatherings, which can be difficult to navigate if you're struggling with disordered eating, overeating, or binge eating.
Amidst the joy and celebration, it is crucial to remember that you have the power to control your food choices, and it's entirely okay to prioritize your well-being. Focusing on self-compassion, mindfulness, and respect for your body's signals can be instrumental in maintaining a balanced approach.
This is where positive Christmas affirmations can serve as a valuable tool to cultivate the mindset of peace and relaxation and to help navigate the holiday season in joy.
Powerful Christmas affirmations to start using this festive season:
- It’s OK to say NO to things that don’t serve me.
- This Christmas is about connection, not food.
- This Christmas I am focused on making memories.
- This Christmas I’m choosing peace over anxiety.
- I stay calm knowing that nothing lasts forever.
- I trust that my body will know how to handle the food.
- Strong emotions are part of being a human.
- I release food guilt and embrace food joy.
- My mental wellbeing is a priority.
- I remain calm in the face of chaos.
- I can easily stop with one.
- Christmas is to be enjoyed, not stressed about.
- My worth is not dependent on my eating habits or body shape.
- I am in charge of how much food I take.
- I can enjoy Christmas without having to binge or overeat.
- This Christmas I honour my hunger and fullness signals.
- Eating to nourish myself is a choice I am making this Christmas.
- Eating slowly and mindfully is an act of self-care.
- I have the right to make mistakes and still love myself.
- This Christmas I will honour what my body needs, not just what it wants.
- My happiness during Christmas is not dependent on the food I eat.
21 Positive Holiday Affirmations
The festive season, starting the festive marathon with Thanksgiving, and leading into Christmas, and other holidays, is traditionally a time for celebration, togetherness, and indulgence.
However, it's also a period filled with challenges for those struggling with disordered eating, overeating, and binge eating. The sheer abundance of food, the social pressure to eat, and the abundance of social gatherings can create a bunch of challenges, that can easily lead into the New Year if not dealt with.
If you find that Christmas or Thanksgiving affirmations are too specific for you or you still haven’t found the right affirmation to use, positive Holiday affirmations can give you some inspiration, help you navigate this period with more ease and help you feel empowered and strong in your food choices.
Here are some of my favourite positive Holiday affirmations that can help you prepare for any challenges ahead:
- I will be kind to my body this holiday season.
- I can easily say NO to people who don’t bring joy into my life.
- Today I choose love over fear.
- My weight is the least important thing this festive season.
- The holidays do not have to be perfect to be enjoyable.
- I am so loved.
- I am grateful for the opportunity to connect with people I care for.
- I can taste all of these foods, mindfully.
- I don't need to respond to all the cravings I have.
- Nourish, not punish.
- My body does not define me.
- Today, I am doing enough.
- This is hard, but I can do hard things.
- I am proud of myself every single day.
- I am strong.
- I deserve to treat my body with respect.
- Today I am choosing myself.
- I can enjoy festivities without overindulging.
- I can easily step away from situations and people that don't serve my health.
- It is OK to take a break when it all gets too.
- I trust that I know what is best for me.
21 Positive New Year Affirmations
New Year often comes with its own challenges as there's a focus on dieting, 'body transformation', and stringent food regimes, making it a challenging time if you struggle with disordered eating habits and your relationship with food.
The messages of 'New Year, New You' can increase the pressure for extreme dieting and unrealistic body ideals. Therefore, instead of beating yourself up for festivities and hating your body into changing or torturing yourself in January, aim to cultivate self-compassion and prioritise nourishment.
Just after implementing and using Christmas affirmations, turn to positive New Year affirmations. They can be instrumental in cultivating a supportive mindset and starting the New Year as you intend to keep going.
Here are some of my favourite New Year Affirmations:
- I have the power to change my habits.
- I am doing as best as I can.
- Every day I become stronger, healthier and happier.
- I don’t need to exhaust myself to deserve food.
- I deserve food by existing.
- I am much more than the number on the scale.
- I am in charge of my life.
- I am the creator of my life.
- I am enough, every day.
- I love and respect my body.
- I am getting where I want to be, one step at a time.
- Today and every day, I choose myself.
- I let go of perfectionism and focus on being enough.
- I am worthy of love and respect, regardless of what I eat or don't eat.
- My body is a wonderful tool to live my best life, not a decoration.
- I can take care of myself without feeling guilty or ashamed.
- My worth is not measured in calories and grams.
- There is more to life than food.
- With each step, I'm getting closer to food freedom.
- I am counting memories instead of calories.
- I am embracing a new relationship with food and my body.
Final Thoughts on Holiday, Thanksgiving and Christmas Affirmations
While positive Holiday, Thanksgiving and Christmas affirmations can be a powerful tool to help you feel empowered and in control around food during the festive period, it's important to remember that Holiday affirmations may be just one tool in your toolbox, rather than the entire set. But it can be a powerful one if you use it.
Allowing yourself to find a balance between nourishment and pleasure can be key in achieving peace around food and body acceptance, as well as breaking unhealthy patterns like overeating or binging.
Remember, some days will be better than others, and that's okay. Aim for progress over perfection and give yourself the gift of compassion and kindness you deserve this holiday season!
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