| Take 5 minutes, close your eyes, and relax. Take a deep breath, filling up your abdomen and bringing the breath up to your lungs. Exhale slowly and fully. Stay focused on your breath, which clears your mind of thoughts and concerns. This simple exercise can be extremely energizing. |
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Now that the Halloween costumes are tucked away, I can feel Thanksgiving
starting to ramp up and beyond that the December holidays. I
have to remind myself to take a deep breath and stay calm and
centered.
Over the years as life’s demands increased and as our daughters grew older with
their active schedules, I’ve been challenged to find new and better ways of “flowing” through
the holidays so that I could be present to the moment and not caught up in all
the preparations. Here are a few things I’ve developed as I’ve gotten older which
allow me to enjoy the holidays more and feel the stress less.
Planning. Having a plan for the holidays is just as important
as having a life plan, a work plan, or an exercise plan. Taking one hour to sit
down with a pad and pencil and plan the holidays – one holiday at a time – provides
the opportunity to look at all the obligations we have and all that we want to
do during the holidays and create the space for these to occur. I use this as
an opportunity to schedule not only our social commitments, but food shopping,
food prep, “black out” times during which nothing gets scheduled, and a regular
exercise program so that this doesn’t get chipped away at when things start ramping
up.
Flexibility. Now that you’ve made all your plans, be prepared to have them change at a moment’s notice! Holiday plans can change due to work obligations, travel issues, sickness, and a myriad of other reasons. Having the ability to go with the flow allows these changes to be minor blips on the screen and not the cause of a serious meltdown.
Simplicity. With the holidays, bigger isn’t necessarily better! Simple, delicious nourishing foods in the company of those we love are what the holidays are all about. Well-chosen, thoughtful gifts allow us to acknowledge our feelings for our friends and families without stressing the budget. It’s important to remember with gift giving that it is the quality and intention of the gift and not the quantity.
Eat right. With the holidays comes the tendency to overindulge, whether it’s those familiar comfort foods of our past, holiday treats, or the celebratory glasses of wine and egg nog. Wherever possible, adjust the recipes to utilize ingredients that are right for you. Watch your sugar consumption, as it tends to weaken your immune system. And take supplements which help keep your immune system strong and your stress levels down.
Remember why we do this. Sometimes in the midst of running around, we can find ourselves overwhelmed or worn down, and it is important to remember why we celebrate the holidays to begin with and re-center ourselves on that. This allows us to enjoy the moment and the true meaning of the holiday.
Cultivate Inner Peace. One of the biggest challenges I face is staying grounded and centered. Over the years, I’ve benefitted enormously from my martial arts training, which cultivates an inner quietness and calm. I’d love to share with you two techniques that are very simple, restorative, and can be done anywhere.
- 5 Minutes: For the longest time I made excuses about not meditating
because I didn’t
have time. One of my teachers debunked that myth when he said all you need
is 5 minutes on the clock to regenerate, and I promise you, he was right!
Take 5 minutes, close your eyes, and relax. Take a deep breath, filling up
your abdomen and bringing the breath up to your lungs. Exhale slowly and
fully. Repeat this breath cycle for 5 minutes. Stay focused on your breath,
which clears your mind of thoughts and concerns. This simple exercise can
be extremely energizing.
- Relax your face. Sounds silly, right? Go ahead, try it. Focus on your forehead, relaxing the muscles. Feel the release as your start to relax your eyes. Take a breath, and then move on to relaxing the cheeks and nose. Relax your mouth, your chin. Breathe. Astonishing, isn’t it? There is so much tension in our faces, and when we relax our face, we relax our souls.
By making a few adjustments in how we approach the holidays, we can not only
enjoy the holidays more, but find them nourishing and enriching, both physically
and emotionally. Here's to enjoying the upcoming holiday season with time for
family, friends, and yourself!
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