Hallowinn-ing

H

You’re already playing mind games with yourself. Don’t even deny it. It’s early October and those big bulky bags of Halloween candy are catching your peripheral glance. Then comes the roaring waves of guilt cackling like a witch, hissing that YOU SHOULDN’T BE EATING CANDY, YOU PERCY PIG, YOU! (that’s a British candy, by the way).

How to WIN at Halloween the Essence way, rather than end up howling like a werewolf into a bag of Milky Ways?

Remember: PLAN, COMMIT, and MINDFULLY ENJOY.

PLAN:
What’s on the Halloween agenda? Is it an opulent gala, chilling at home and snapchatting adorable children dressed as Minions, or a cozy get-together with friends? Whatever it is, don’t act shocked and become anxious when you become HUNGRY at some point during the night. I’m not sure why we tend to become so upset when we make poor food choices and then retrospectively blame hunger. Umm, of COURSE you were bound to be HUNGRY at some point during the night because you are a HUMAN. The (major) key here is to PLAN.

Before your Halloween trickery, THINK.

  • What do I think/know will be served? Will that work for me?
  • What do I plan on eating that will feel comfortable and healthful?
  • How much alcohol do I tend to consume?
  • Which types of alcohol?
  • Can I bring my own food/snacks to replace or supplement the fare?
  • Should I eat before the event so I’m not tempted by what I know won’t be appropriate for me OR should I eat before the event because I know it’s a party without food and I don’t want to have to binge on pizza at 2 AM?
  • Re: candy; what do I plan on doing about this? Is it all or nothing? Is it x treats? Which treats?

See how THOUGHT bring AWARENESS to the situation instead of just barreling through it and wincing / potentially regretting?

COMMIT:
It’s one thing to plan, but quite another to FOLLOW THROUGH. When you COMMIT to something (verbally, mentally, or in writing), like your Halloween fare, you’re much more likely to EXECUTE (no Halloween murder pun intended) your methods. If you say you’re sticking to vodka + club soda all night, do it! If you say you’re going to allow yourself ONE piece of candy, DO IT! What’s stopping you? What thoughts or impulses get in the way? Why?

MINDFULLY ENJOY:
Halloween = candy and treats. Everyone has a different way of coping with this. What I do NOT recommend is forcing yourself to forego Halloween candy entirely (unless you truly despise candy, in which case, umm, bye). Feelings of deprivation swept under the rug will eventually emerge from the other side of said rug and bite you in your rump.

You’re ALLOWED to have treats! That’s because you’re a human and you deserve to indulge with MINDFULNESS and AWARENESS. There’s a difference between savoring every bite of that Three Musketeers and bingeing / chain-eating candy all night long, then feeling guilty.

Personal rec: choose 1-2 of your favorites on Halloween, and allow yourself 1 ‘fun size’ every day thereafter (you’ll be sick of candy in a week, I promise).

Side note: my favorite candies are mini-M&Ms, Three Musketeers, and Milky Way. BRING ME YOUR EXTRAS.

Essentially Yours,
Monica