If you're like me, your mind is filled with your holiday to-do list. And this to-do list feels never-ending!
Let's see...
- there are gifts to get,
- cards to send out,
- get-togethers to plan,
- cooking and baking,
- extra cleaning,
- dealing with family personality issues...
It's stressful this time of year!
Here are a few tips to help you handle holiday stress:
Rest
Make sure you get quality sleep (8 hours is the average). If you don't sleep well, try to make time for a quick (or not-so-quick) nap.
Breathe
Take a moment to close your eyes and take 3 deep breaths. Check in with yourself throughout the day and pay attention to your breath.
Supplement
There are so many herbal supplements out there! Two of my favorites for stress are rhodiola and ashwagandha. I'm not a doctor, so if you need medical advice, contact your MD or ND.
Laugh
Rent a funny movie, read a funny book, or do something that lifts your spirit and gets you laughing. Laughing is great for your health - physical, mental, and emotional.
Dance
There's something so wonderful about moving your body to the beat of a song. Get out your stress by dancing it off!
Exercise
Exercising is a great way to get rid of all that holiday stress! Do yoga, run, walk, swim, bike, work out with weights...move your body and burn calories and the stress with it!
Nature
Go outside and enjoy the outdoors. Nature has been proven to lower your stress levels.
Smell
Really use all your senses to combat stress. Essential oils - used in a diffuser or dabbed on your body- is a great way to engage your sense of smell. You'll be saying "Ahhhhh...." before you know it!
Nutrition
Make sure you're eating healthy. Your food choices really do make a difference. You'll feel more run down the crappier you eat. It's okay to have treats now and again, but remember: It's all about balance.
Gratitude
Yes, this had to have made the list! It's so important to be grateful! Try this: When you're out and about shopping for that awesome holiday gift, when you check out, silently say "thank you" to the cashier and for your experience of shopping.
Routine
I have a morning routine that is pretty consistent. It's a great way to begin my day and sets the tone for the rest of it. A bedtime routine is also wonderful.
Give
Yes, give, but not in the sense of giving presents at holiday time. I mean give as in serving others, volunteering your time, your presence and being present, and giving back to those who want or need your time or attention. I recently listened to a podcast on loneliness and research says up to 20% of Americans are lonely. This creates all kinds of health issues. Reach out and give to one another. You lose track of yourself and your stress when you do.
Touch
Hug more. Get a massage. It's been proven that human touch is healing and soothing. If you want, extend that to petting animals.
Water
There's something magical about being around water whether it's a lake, the ocean, or even a bath. And...drink lots of water and stay hydrated. You tend to get tired when you're not hydrated and tiredness leads to crankiness and then stress. So, drink up!
Creativity
Do something creative. Paint, write, cook - do something that will use your right brain and get you out of your left brain stress mode.
That's a pretty good list to start you on your path of combating stress and taking it a little bit easier this holiday season.
One of the ways I ditch the stress is to start each morning with meditation. I light a candle, use some essential oils like frankincense or orange, choose a favorite crystal, and I meditate for at least 5 to 10 minutes. I typically get up between 4 or 5 am when it's completely still in my home.
I've also recently learned some new Reiki energy exercises which have really boosted my energy levels during the day. I'll be sharing these in my course MAKE 2020 YOUR BEST YEAR YET. You don't need to be a certified Reiki master to benefit from them - anyone can do them!
Should you need extra help with stress, relationships (and the two together 🙂 or issues that are causing you stress, please contact me. We'll set up an appointment to go over your situation and go from there!
Make 2020 Your Best Year Yet
It’s that time of year again – New Year’s resolutions and goal-setting for the New Year.
But…what happened last year to your goals and dreams?
Most likely, if you’re like the majority of people, you didn’t reach them.
- Maybe you lacked clarity about what they were and how to go about reaching them.
- You didn’t have a clear goal in mind or a plan.
- You lacked the confidence and doubted you’d be successful.
- You had too many goals and lacked focus.
- Your mindset needs some work, so you listened to your old beliefs instead of implanting new ones to spur you on.
- You had too many distractions.
- You lacked a strategy.
- You were dealing with a lot of fear.
- You were inconsistent…
Sound familiar? They do to me - because I used to be in that place.
Do something different this year. Make 2020 your best year yet!
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