Monday, December 10, 2007
Happy holidays! Or… not!
For many people that phrase strikes fear in their heart and can bring them down faster than snowflakes in a blizzard. It can be a stressful time! It can also be a great time to practice valuable techniques for taking care of yourself so that you not only “get through” the holiday season, you even find a few things to enjoy along the way.
How do you care for yourself? There are as many different ways to do this as there are people in the world. It will be a reflection of some action or inaction that makes you feel good, re-energizes you or relaxes you, something that feeds your soul.
It helps to first be aware that you need to take time out for self-care. Then you can decide what it is you need.
Physical care
Exercise is a great stress reliever. If you work out regularly, keep up your routine. If exercise is only an occasional thing for you, consider adding a few work outs to your weekly schedule. And, taking a walk is great exercise for both body and mind.
Eat well! This doesn’t mean dieting. It is more about eating food that is good for us and avoiding too many sweets or too much alcohol. There are lots of holiday foods to enjoy, in moderation!
Emotional care
Meditation is a great tool to help strengthen emotional balance. Add a few breathing techniques and you can improve how you feel in just a matter of minutes. There are meditation CDs that are very helpful for this.
Maintain good boundaries. While this is always good to do, it really helps to give yourself permission during a busy season to be vigilant about your boundaries. Say no to some invitations. Don’t do things just to fulfill someone else’s expectations.
Look for ways to enjoy moments throughout the season and acknowledge the joy that even a small moment may bring. Do you enjoy all the lights? Special holiday food? Seeing someone who lives far away? Or perhaps you take comfort in knowing the season will end?
What else can you do for you? Choose thoughtfully! We make a lot of decisions during the holidays about how to spend our time, how to spend our money, what to eat and even how much to eat. In all of these decisions, choose thoughtfully. Then enjoy that phrase… happy holidays!
For many people that phrase strikes fear in their heart and can bring them down faster than snowflakes in a blizzard. It can be a stressful time! It can also be a great time to practice valuable techniques for taking care of yourself so that you not only “get through” the holiday season, you even find a few things to enjoy along the way.
How do you care for yourself? There are as many different ways to do this as there are people in the world. It will be a reflection of some action or inaction that makes you feel good, re-energizes you or relaxes you, something that feeds your soul.
It helps to first be aware that you need to take time out for self-care. Then you can decide what it is you need.
Physical care
Exercise is a great stress reliever. If you work out regularly, keep up your routine. If exercise is only an occasional thing for you, consider adding a few work outs to your weekly schedule. And, taking a walk is great exercise for both body and mind.
Eat well! This doesn’t mean dieting. It is more about eating food that is good for us and avoiding too many sweets or too much alcohol. There are lots of holiday foods to enjoy, in moderation!
Emotional care
Meditation is a great tool to help strengthen emotional balance. Add a few breathing techniques and you can improve how you feel in just a matter of minutes. There are meditation CDs that are very helpful for this.
Maintain good boundaries. While this is always good to do, it really helps to give yourself permission during a busy season to be vigilant about your boundaries. Say no to some invitations. Don’t do things just to fulfill someone else’s expectations.
Look for ways to enjoy moments throughout the season and acknowledge the joy that even a small moment may bring. Do you enjoy all the lights? Special holiday food? Seeing someone who lives far away? Or perhaps you take comfort in knowing the season will end?
What else can you do for you? Choose thoughtfully! We make a lot of decisions during the holidays about how to spend our time, how to spend our money, what to eat and even how much to eat. In all of these decisions, choose thoughtfully. Then enjoy that phrase… happy holidays!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
