RELAX AND RELEASE THE PRESSURES OF THE HOLIDAY SEASON

DON’T FORGET TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF AT THIS TIME OF YEAR!

The holiday season is upon us, and while there is great joy in spending time with family, giving and receiving gifts, and feasting on delicious dinners, it comes with a price for most of us…stress and pressure!

Let’s face it, decorating, shopping for the perfect gift, planning menus and holiday get-togethers, cooking, cleaning, re-cleaning after your guests have left, finding that perfect outfit to wear to that special party, juggling finances…all while trying to maintain our normal lifestyle of running errands, working, paying the bills, playing chauffer to the kids, and more…can take its toll on our overall well-being.  For many of us, giving is the most important part of the season…but too many of us give and give until there is nothing left of ourselves!

Before you get caught up in the holiday frenzy, take a moment to stop and make a promise to yourself to do things differently this time around.  Sit down with your calendar, and write in a few hours a week of “me time”.  Literally write it down…if you don’t schedule it you won’t do it.  These few precious hours will give you time to re-charge your batteries and stay in the holiday spirit without feeling like you have to fake it or force it.  Just a few hours a week of downtime ~ whether you do them all at once or spread them out a little bit each day ~ will do a world of good for helping you keep an upbeat attitude and truly enjoy the season.

“Me Time” is not the time to bake cookies, run errands, go shopping, or do any other sort of “work” relating to the holidays or to every day life.  Instead, it is a time to relax, ignore the outside world, and pamper yourself in the manner you deserve!  Put on a decadently moisturizing face mask, brew up a cup of soothing herbal tea, and kick back to start (and maybe even finish!) that book you’ve been meaning to get to.  Dim the lights, light the candles, put on some peaceful music and indulge in a blissful natural bath salts soak to ease away your aches, pains, and worries.  Give yourself a manicure and pedicure with bold or elegant colors while you watch your favorite holiday classic.  Drape a heated herbal wrap around your neck and shoulders to ease tension while you close your eyes and meditate in blessed solitude.  Whatever you choose, it should be something peaceful, personal, and private.

You’ll be amazed at what a difference it makes in how you feel about the holidays.  Yes, you’ll probably still have stressful moments and have to brave the chaos at times, but even in the midst of them you’ll know that the anxiety is only temporary and it will soon be soothed away in your” me time” moments.  And who knows…you might enjoy this practice so much that you’ll keep it up for the whole year ‘round.  And…you should!