The Aftermath of the Holidays.

In this episode, we talked about the before and after effects of the holidays.

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Hello Darings, welcome back to my podcast! 

I know I have a long podcast for episodes 1 and 2, and it might need some edits because this is doing a podcast while playing games in the background. I will try to make this episode shorter, but fair warning: most episodes can be longer when I'm streaming on Twitch with games in the background. 

Also, my voice is a bit different right now because I have a cough and am still recovering from a sore throat. I'm currently recovering, thanks to lots of Vitamin C and Salabat. Yes, Salabat is a Filipino tea made from ginger and water. Sometimes, you can add sugar or honey to balance the taste. There are lots of ready-made Salabat tea as well as the powder version.

I hope you are well and have survived the holidays. Yes, survive is the right term because, let's face it, the holidays can be a rollercoaster ride, and we must be ready before and after, especially for introverts like me. 

It can be challenging to suddenly encounter an influx of friends, colleagues, and relatives who wanna meet up and reconnect. Sometimes, old flame pop up here and there, yes, it is happening! I mean, what's going on? It doesn't matter if you are single or not, I know one way or another, you have encountered this. How do you handle it? I feel like people from your past are there for a reason. Do not forget that.

Also, the gifts, gatherings, and other expectations that came with it. It is a happy occasion but can be overwhelming.

I mean, we are all busy and minding our own lives before the holiday, whether it is Halloween, Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Year, or Lunar New Year. It is a long season of togetherness, whether it's in grief or joy. For some, they mentally prepare themselves prior to these events, like doing self-care, eating healthy before binge eating, and forgetting what diet means. We all have been there. What is diet, by the way? And do we need any maintenance meds already on standby? 

It is like going into a battle, the holiday it is. It is a long stretch until the Lunar New Year, really. If you wanna count Valentines Day, well, that is a different story altogether. We might make an episode on that or not. LOL.

So, after the battle, what happens then? Are there any wounded souls or broken hearts? Maybe a full heart and belly (yes, belly from all that eating) but empty pockets?

For the wounded souls, be still heart. There is still Valentine's Day, and you might be happy or broken again. Who knows, life is fickle. I believe that time is the ultimate truth teller because if that person is meant for you, no matter what the circumstances are, time will reveal their true intentions. 

A full heart is great during the holidays, but will it suffice for the whole year? Are we gonna reconnect again next year or at the next event? These are some of the lingering questions that we have. I mean, how do you know what is enough? 

Some people can easily get tired of the reunions or even simple gatherings; they need to recharge after each meet-up. But for some, they crave more, like a happy pill that they can't get enough of. But reality hits come January or February when everything is back to the normal slow days. Friend or relative replies become shorter, and updates become lesser. That is the truth. A relationship needs constant effort from both parties, but we also need breathing room to recharge.

I'm far from an expert on this topic, especially being a true introvert, but I appear to be an extrovert to most people who know me. Still, you need to have the same wavelength to make each other feel seen and loved. We all have different love languages, and sometimes we fail to identify them. So that's it for that part, this podcast might turn into a hearts day special, hahahaha. Not really, TBH.

If you really want an excuse for a gathering, there are a few events to celebrate, like Rose Day on Feb 7 (you can still celebrate this). This marks the start of Heart's Week. Then there is Valentismas on Feb 10, between Christmas and Valentine's for a chill celebration of love with your friends or loved ones. And to keep the festive air, there is also Galentine's Day on Feb 13 from Leslie Knope of Parks and Recreation season 2. This is another gathering with your besties or female friends. There are lots of reasons to be together, right? 

For the full belly, well, we have to watch out for our diet, right? I'm sure there are lots of gym membership promos right now. Do it slowly if you can.  You don't have to commit to the whole year membership. Baby steps as well, only do what you can. Well, if you are going for a summer body, that's a different story, too. Also, this might be a good time to do that annual check-up that you are postponing; some do this around quarter 3 or quarter 4. So, if you missed that, do it early this year to check your health. As they say, health is wealth.

For the empty pockets, werk it, girl. Walang forever, or there's no forever, lol. This is a good time to save and recover from all that spending. Are you using any budget tracker? There are lots of mobile apps focused on this. I like using these financial apps even though I don't have anything to track, hahaha. Kidding aside, you can plan your spending and see where your money goes. If you don't have money to track, don't worry, me too, hahahaa. Well, there are many options to check, internet can be your friend for freelance and job postings. If you already have a job, focus on that and find ways to level up. It can be in-house training or free training online. Some also provide free certificates to add to your portfolio and build your expertise.

Lastly, prioritize yourself. The aftermath can be challenging, and there might be expectations that were not met and some lingering emotions, whether good or bad. Remember to check if the situation is good for you and your overall well-being. Always choose yourself. 

That's it for today's episode; I hope you learn something from it. If not, there's always that next episode, or check the earlier episodes too. I appreciate any feedback, feel free to send us a message on my social media accounts.  Also, I stream on twitch.tv/deyyyrrr. I don't have a fixed schedule yet; I will post on my socials when I'm streaming, most likely MWF and the weekends. 

Okay, see you next time, Darings!

Sources: National Today, Wikipedia and Cosmopolitan