Updated: November 30th, 2025
- As memories of the pandemic fade, we can carry forward some important lessons in this holiday season.
- Reduced stress can make for healthier, happier holidays.
- Time spent outside boosts health in a range of ways
- Gratitude, connection and positive thinking are powerful boosts this holiday season.
- Try my tips for staying healthy in any holiday season
It’s been five years since the first “Covid Holiday Season” and many things have gone back to the way they used to be. While it’s great to be able to gather with family and friends, there are many lessons from that year that I think are worth holding on to.
That year gave us the opportunity to think about what we truly want and need to make the most of the holiday season – without going into overwhelm mode. We had time to reflect on what is truly important, and what we could do without. It was difficult that year to let go of some of the traditions I’d been carrying on since my own childhood; I discovered, however, that many of those traditions were making me crazy – and no one even cared about them anymore.
My stress level was high in 2020, but the reasons were quite different. That year, with no pressure to create the “perfect” holidays, I relaxed and truly enjoyed the moments with my family as they came. I was no longer frantically working toward some impossible to achieve ideal.
And I wasn’t alone. That year, a friend told me that her turkey was ready almost an hour before she’d anticipated, but because she wasn’t waiting for guests to arrive, she could easily adapt. The sides were prepped and ready, so her family of five sat down to eat early, and ended up with an unanticipated empty stretch of afternoon that they filled with board games and laughter. She went to bed that evening with a sense of peace and connection instead of falling into bed exhausted and unfulfilled.
Thanksgiving was last week. Did you notice that some things have stayed more simple since things shifted in 2020? Do you appreciate each moment more, and give thanks for all that you have?
The ability to embrace each moment and live for the present is difficult in modern daily life. The year 2020 forced us all to slow down at least a little. And as that happened, many of us learned some important lessons about living a healthy, fulfilling life. Here are five lessons I think are important to carry forward from that challenging year, and remember every holiday season.
5 Important Lessons the Year 2020 Taught Us
Less stress improves health
We are understanding more all the time about the toll that stress takes on overall health. I’ve long recommended that in order to balance hormones and feel your best, women must find ways to reduce the stress in their lives. Though the pandemic certainly added stress in many ways, the responses we developed had great potential to reduce personal stress and give us more time for the things we want to do instead of what we have to do. We were able to take stock of what was truly important, and many of us found that even when things opened up again, we let some of the things that kept our calendars stuffed full go permanently. And as wel do less, we’re naturally less stressed.
Now’s a great time to remember that you should block off time for yourself. Add exercise, yoga or meditation to your daily routine. Use some of the time you used to spend running from place to place simply to breathe, melting away remaining stress. Give yourself permission to embrace new hobbies, such as baking, cooking, crafting, writing or reading. Many of us still spend more time at home than we did pre-pandemic, because we realized being “stuck” at home wasn’t a bad thing!
Outdoors is the healthiest place to be
One of the best things about the pandemic, in my view, was the abundance of time people spent outside getting fresh air, movement and sunshine. People purchased outdoor equipment like bicycles, camping gear, boats and campers, skis, snowshoes and more. I hope that this equipment isn’t sitting forgotten five years later!
Research has demonstrated how important spending time in nature is to both mental and physical health. Discovering things to do outside with friends and family is one thing I hope has remained long after the pandemic was over. Getting outside is still a great way to boost your health, and you’ll combat the Vitamin D deficiency that is a real problem for many when you spend plenty of time outside in the sun.
Connection is key
People are social beings. Research has shown the impact that social relationships have on health, so we know that staying connected is important. During the pandemic, that felt more difficult initially, but then something amazing happened.
Patients with children told me they made much deeper connections as they slowed down and spent more time together instead of running from activity to endless activity. Romantic relationships flourished when partners suddenly found themselves with time to devote to each other. Neighbors reached out to help each other in times of need. People reconnected with old friends through letter writing, Zoom, or more frequent phone calls – and have continued those connections five years later.
I also heard from more and more women that not only did they make it a point to connect with others, they finally found time to connect with themselves. Being alone doesn’t always equal being lonely. Women found appreciation for having some personal space to reflect, journal, and discover who they are – and who they want to be.
All of these connections are well worth nurturing, even when there’s no pandemic at play. If you find yourself slipping back into a disconnected state, now is the perfect time to change that!
Gratitude can shift perspective
While it may have been easy to focus on what was lost during the pandemic, that tumultuous time also taught us to find thanks for the really important things – our health, economic stability, friends that help in tough times.
Perhaps we learned that we can get by with a lot less than we thought we could. Many people stopped giving in to materialistic impulses, instead clearing out things they hadn’t used in years. We all discovered that “things” don’t make us happy – relationships and connection do.
Studies have shown that gratitude can improve well-being, relationships, and health. I certainly can attest to the fact that when I take a few moments to tell someone how much I appreciate them, write down what I’m grateful for, or even just think about all that I am thankful for in my life, I feel more positive and energized.
The power of positive beliefs
That leads nicely to the fifth lesson 2020 had to offer. The way that we think has so much power over our lives. While we could have gone easily down a path of negative thinking, many took the time to focus on the positive, which can make a big difference in our lives.
The meaning we attach to a stressful event can impact the outcome of that event. So when we said that the 2020 holiday season was an opportunity to slow down, create new traditions, and enjoy some solitude, we emerged from the season with a renewed sense of peace and joy.
Research has supported the idea that positive thinking has power in our lives, including on our mental and physical health and well-being. The health benefits that may result from a mindset shift include longer life span, less depression, reduced stress and better coping skills, better cardiovascular health, and increased resistance to infection, such as the common cold. Positive thinking also helps us make healthier lifestyle choices.
While it was tough to find the positive in 2020, when we looked closely there were so many things to celebrate. And the same is true any year. If you shift your thinking, looking actively for a positive spin (i.e., your adult child didn’t come home for the first time this year – but that means you didn’t have to do a thorough clean of the guest room), you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how much there is to be positive about.
Tips for staying healthy this holiday season
These valuable lessons can help you create a season filled with love and joy, regardless of circumstances. And the tips below will help stay healthy throughout the holiday season and beyond!
Focus on natural, healthy meals made from scratch.
Long standing holiday traditions can derail healthy intentions, particularly around food. When your table is brimming with carb-heavy foods that guests prepare with love and bring to share, heavy sauces, a tantalizing array of sweets, and endless bottles of wine or “signature cocktails,” staying on course is difficult.
The 2020 season, with fewer guests at the table, was a perfect time to try some new, healthier recipes. Did any of those carry over? If not, can you bring them back? Maybe you realized that you didn’t need seven carb-heavy sides – one or two will do. And fresh fruit can be a great sweet treat at the end of a heavy meal.
Search for lighter, healthier versions of your family favorites or try something entirely new instead. Ask your immediate family members what their favorite part of the meal is. You might be pleasantly surprised to find that nobody cares if you leave the unhealthiest items off the menu.
Stay active
Physical activity is essential to all aspects of health. Make time in your holiday schedule for a walk around the neighborhood to check out seasonal decorations. Try a new activity – maybe cross country skiing or snowshoeing if you’re in a place with heavy snowfall. Even just walking up and down the stairs or jogging in place during commercial breaks can make a big difference. And now that we don’t have to worry about gathering, you could even put together an activity for the whole family to enjoy.
Be mindful of mental health and find healthy ways to address struggles
Stress, disappointment, loneliness and anxiety are all very real issues that many people deal with in the holiday season. Find ways to protect your mental health in a way that works for you. The most important thing is that you don’t push these feelings aside or ignore the difficult emotions that arise.
Give your body the nutritional support it needs
It’s so difficult to get the nutrients you need to keep your body functioning optimally. I recommend that everyone take a high-quality multivitamin daily. Because adrenal function is so important to keeping the immune system strong, you may want to consider targeted adrenal support, like my adrenal support or adrenal metabolism programs.
We all learned a different way of doing holidays during the pandemic. And while that was difficult, I hope that some of the ways you discovered to stay connected and enjoy the holiday seasons have carried over. Embracing a quieter schedule and fewer demands can result in much happier, healthier holidays. I appreciate you all and look forward to supporting you now and always!
