Staying Sane During the Holiday Season
Deck the halls and jingle the bells! Happy holidays are upon us !
“Between balancing finances, expectations, obligations, time and travel the holidays can be a challenging time for many, and it’s easy to get wrapped up in the chaos. Be patient and be kind. Not only to others but to yourself as well.”
- The Love You Found when Holidays are Hard (Surf Soap’s Ultimate Gift Guide)
It’s no secret that there are varying levels of stress that accompany the holiday season. Without going into detail on what all of those potential stressors could be … let’s focus on what we can do to stay sane and find some personal peace and well-being as we lead up through the New Year.
Clear Your Mind
Perhaps it’s helpful to start with acceptance that some plans will go askew. Practicing acceptance is one way to differentiate between what you can control and what you can’t. Remember, it’s a practice towards accepting - might be easier said than done!
Flex your organizational muscles. Start your holiday crafting with filling out your big events and to-dos into your calendar. There are several apps that can help organize your life, but there’s nothing quite like taking some of the details out of the virtual world and putting it onto a physical calendar. Mark it up, cross it out, put it somewhere that you’ll see it every day.
Stimulate your mind with some peppermint! Not only does peppermint pair nicely with a cup of holiday cocoa, but peppermint oil, candies and our Candy Cane Better Balm can add a bit of brightness to clear your mind.
Meditation. Planning to devote some extra intention towards the practice of meditation? This is excellent. Netflix has a Headspace Guide to Meditation that introduces the journey towards a calmer state of mind. The Headspace App (1-2 week free trial, $6.00-13.00 /month) offers tailored meditation experience. A quick Youtube search leads you to a variety of guided practices that fit any length of time you can dedicate.
For Your Body
Yoga and Meditation are not necessarily the same thing, but they are complimentary. Take anywhere from 5, 10, 15, 30 minutes to focus on your breathing, moving or not moving your body and reset your thoughts. We’ve pulled a few Youtube videos to get you started.
- Holiday Stress Mindful Meditation with Jay Shetty
- 30 Minute Yoga for Holiday Stress and Anxiety
- Holiday Zen
Exercise if it feels good! Exercise can come in many forms, and with jam-packed schedules we’re not suggesting to start marathon training. A morning shoveling snow can accomplish a chore for the day, and get your heart rate up!
Massage it out. No time for a professional massage? A friend or partner can help relieve some physically manifested stress with a massage, but here are a few techniques that can be done on your own.
Enjoy the food festivities in moderation. Holiday hangovers come in many forms. Food comas and hangovers can add to the humbugedness of the season which isn’t to say that you shouldn’t enjoy the treats! Prep yourself before a holiday party with a good healthy snack, plan to make a cure-worthy soup, and don’t forget to hydrate. Those who dwell in colder weather, it’s easy to forget to drink water (especially when hot cider is much more appealing).
Overall, try and remember what matters most, and that you can't pour from an empty cup.
Cheers!
Maria