01 Dec 2024
Holistic Health, Vegan Lifestyle
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How to Navigate the Holidays with Emotional Resilience and Gratitude

navigating the holidays as a vegan and dealing with grief

The holidays can bring joy, connection, and a sense of gratitude—but they can also be incredibly challenging.

For some, this time of year is marked by grief, sugar cravings, or navigating complex family dynamics. And for those of us who are vegan, the sight of a turkey on the dinner table can evoke a deep sense of sadness.

Before diving into my thoughts and tips for moving through the season, I want to acknowledge the painful history tied to this holiday. For many, it’s a somber reminder of the devastation colonization brought to Indigenous peoples and cultures. I choose to hold space for this reflection while also focusing on gratitude, growth, and the ways we can cultivate kindness and compassion in our lives.

Holidays can be an opportunity to realign with our values—honoring the resilience of those who came before us while committing to living in harmony with all beings.

A Holiday of Connection, Reflection, and Grief

This year, I spent a low-key holiday starting with breathwork and yoga, followed by a park workout with my V3Perform family, and an afternoon outdoors with my sister’s family in Miami. The weather was stunning, and I’m so grateful my sister’s family is fully vegan, making our time together about sharing stories and laughter rather than centering the day around food.

But this holiday season isn’t without its challenges. A month ago, I experienced the sudden end of my relationship with Quinn. Moving through grief is never easy, but since adopting a mantra I swear by, I’ve been able to approach this experience with a healthy perspective:

The goal is not to feel better, it’s to get better at feeling.

This mindset has been life-changing for me. It’s freed me from the pressure of trying to “get over” emotions quickly and instead has encouraged me to lean into them with curiosity and compassion.

Tips for Getting Better at Feeling 

If you’re struggling with emotions this season—whether due to cravings, grief, or family stress—know you’re not alone. Here are my favorite tips for “getting better at feeling”:

  1. Step Into the Role of the Observer
    Treat your thoughts and emotions with curiosity and compassion instead of judgment. Imagine how you’d comfort a loved one—now offer that same support to yourself.
  2. Allow Yourself to Feel Fully
    Whether it’s crying, screaming, dancing, or punching a pillow (or heavy bag), let your emotions breathe and move through you. Suppressing them only prolongs the struggle.
  3. Express Yourself
    Share your feelings with a trusted loved one who can listen without trying to “fix” things. Alternatively, write your thoughts in a journal—it’s an incredibly therapeutic outlet.
  4. Meditate Daily
    Start with just five minutes a day to center yourself. The way out of emotional overwhelm is through it—and meditation provides a powerful pathway inward.
  5. Practice Gratitude
    Keep a gratitude journal or simply reflect on what you’re thankful for each day. Gratitude shifts your perspective and helps you focus on the good, even in challenging times.
  6. Reconnect with Nature and Animals
    Spending time outdoors or with animals is grounding and restorative. They remind us of life’s simple, beautiful truths.

A Special Resource for Holiday Cravings

If sugar cravings and willpower battles are taking a toll, don’t miss my Emergency Cravings Toolkit—you can download it for free here. It’s packed with tips and strategies to help you regain control and feel empowered.

Dive Deeper: My Interview on the Plant-Fuelled Podcast

For more insights into navigating cravings and emotional health, check out my recent interview with Callum Weir on the Plant-Fuelled Podcast. We delve into the emotional and psychological side of cravings and share actionable tools for reclaiming control over your relationship with food. You can listen to the episode here.

Closing Thoughts

As I move through my own grief this season, I remind myself that we’re here to dance through life together, raising our collective vibration for the benefit of all beings.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. Your commitment to creating a kinder world inspires me every day. Let’s hold space for gratitude, reflection, and connection—and continue to align with the values that guide us toward a more compassionate future.

💖 Wishing you a season of emotional resilience, joy, and harmony.

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Ella Magers, MSW

Founder & CEO at Sexy Fit Vegan®
A passionate vegan for the last 28 years, Ella Magers, MSW is a leading voice for revolutionary transformation in the fitness industry. Ella connects people with the information, tools, support, and guidance they need to develop holistically healthy habits, claim mental and emotional well-being, and live more fulfilling and fiercely compassionate lives. Ella is a professional speaker, published author, and coach. She is the spirited host of the inspiring Rise & Thrive Podcast and the Vegan Life Coach Podcast, founder of Sexy Fit Vegan®, and creator of the 22Reboot total transformation system. As a plant-based athlete and former bodybuilding champion, Ella was recognized as one of the world's top personal trainers by bodybuilding.com and Shape Magazine. Having healed from her own struggles with disordered eating, Ella Magers shows people that there are alternatives to crash diets and excessive workout regimens, and how to align their lifestyle with true health by using compassion as their compass. Ella is on the founding board of Hogs & Kisses Farm Sanctuary, a 501(c)3 nonprofit with the mission of creating the best possible life for farm animals while inspiring compassion for all living beings.

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