by: Lisa LaBelle
The holiday season is almost here, and hopefully you are making plans to share it with family and friends. Give yourself permission to begin new traditions and new memories.
Replacing reminders of the special traditions you shared with your ex-spouse from years gone by with new traditions, and new memories will help in the healing process. To be more specific, give yourself permission to plan a fun get away, or even a lovely day trip with your true friends or a couple of close family members before or shortly after the holidays. Making time to take care of yourself, and build new memories around the holiday season will be a wonderful way of taking good care of YOU!
Here are some ideas to help you start planning your day trip or vacation this holiday season.
Plan a special day trip for you and your truest friends:
It's almost the holiday season, and that means it's time to plan new traditions. One new tradition you can consider is getting a couple of girlfriends (if you are a girl), or guy friends (if you are a guy) together for a day trip near your hometown. I know the holidays are more than busy, but it's important for you to take a block of time out to do something for YOU! Call on a few of your truest friends, and plan something that you would like to do. Think about what you would love to do if you had one day all to yourself, then go do it with your friends. It's nice to have alone time, but when you find yourself divorced, and single during the holidays it's important to share it with your loved ones and/or truest friends. You can find the time to do it, working around everyone's schedules.
A holiday vacation filled with things you love to do:
If you decide to plan a vacation, you'll want to think about places you'd enjoy seeing and visiting together with your choicest friends or family members. Since it's nearly wintertime, you may want to consider outdoor activities like skiing, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing. However, if you want to go to a warm weather destination, you'll have the option to bike, hike, run, golf, play tennis, swim, sit by a pool and read a book, etc. Whether you choose to go to a warm or cold climate, you can still plan to eat out at fun restaurants, see a play, go to museums, attend an interesting conference of your choice. If you all love to compete in athletic events you could sign up for a bike race, a 10K run or half-marathon to do together and cheer each other on. The ideas are endless, so it depends on what you want to do and where you want to go. Start planning now, and get those reservations made for your YOU vacation. It will help ease the sadness that can creep in during the holiday season, especially if you are newly divorced. You need the added support during the holidays to help ease the lonely times you may have. We all need special times to look forward to in our lives. Get excited for this new tradition and new memory you'll be sharing with your truest friends or family members!
Actually planning what to do:
Once you have your friends, or close family members (a sister, brother, cousin, etc.) onboard to join you for your day trip or vacation, start planning it. Get together with them to brainstorm a few ideas. It will be fun to share things you all love to do, and realistic activities you can fit in. Remember this is a time for you to do things you enjoy. It's fun to brainstorm ideas together, because half the fun is anticipating what you are going to be doing together. Choose five or six activities, write them down, then take a vote to choose two or three of them. You have the final say, so be sure to make that clear to everyone beforehand. You are choosing to share your special day, or vacation with those who have been your support system, and they love you. I'm sure they will be happy for you to have the final say on your plans.
Going through a divorce is one of the most painful experiences a human being can go through in this life. Having your loving support system around to help you through is a priceless gift. Getting through the holiday season, even years after going through a divorce, and still being single is difficult. Planning a couple of fun day trips, or a getaway vacation with one, two or three of your truest friends or family members is most needed around the holidays. Spending this special time together will build your self-confidence, give you added strength to keep moving forward with your new life, help you remember that you can believe in yourself, and remind you that you are loved. We all need support and love, because we are human; it's that simple. Start planning your pre or post-holiday day trip, or vacation now so you can look forward to it during this holiday season. It's all about making new memories filled with new happy times. Take good care of YOU this holiday season. Make your day trip, or vacation a new holiday tradition for YOU to look forward to each year!
Written By: Lisa LaBelle
About the Author: Lisa has a B.S. degree in Education, working towards her MS degree in Counseling. She's taught for over 25 years. Lisa is a family and child advocate. She's the co-author and co-editor of Hope After Divorce, published by Sourced Media Books. Follow Lisa's blog at http://hopeafterdivorce.blogspot.com, facebook page http://www.facebook.com/hopeafterdivorce and twitter @hopeafterdivorc. She oversees and contributes to www.hopeafterdivorce.net. Lisa is the mother of two grown sons who are her inspiration.