The Holiday Survival Challenge

Head off stress, crankiness and self-loathing by changing just one behavior… today

Image: Pexels/adapted by the author

’Tis the season of excessive eating, boozy parties, slothiness and stress. And you know what comes next: Born of despair for what you’ve done to yourself, you’ll make a vague, doomed-to-fail resolution to lose weight or drink less or exercise more in the new year.

Here’s a better idea:

Without giving up cookie parties, egg nog or whatever holiday cheer matters to you, I hereby challenge you to engage, starting today, in one highly specific new behavior that will improve your sleep, boost your energy level, clear your head so you can think straight, and put you in charge of your emotions instead of being victim to them. Then do it daily through the end of the year.

And you get to choose which one.

Here’s a science-backed list to pick from, five behaviors proven to boost physical, mental and emotional well-being, along with some concrete how-to tips:

Get out

Go outside every morning and as much as possible every day, even if just for a few minutes.

Natural daylight, whether sunny or cloudy, is vital for setting your internal clock, your circadian rhythm, which dictates when…