What a hustle and bustle so many people are feeling these days with the holidays rapidly approaching. On top of that there has been lots of news around the economy, the environment, and human tragedy (like war). How does a person stay sane and perhaps even grow in such an environment? Here is my answer…
Change your environment.
I don’t mean move to a mountaintop and meditate for five hours a day. I mean consciously choose your environment. Turn off the news. Don’t read all that bad press in the newspapers or on-line. Worrying does nothing to benefit your life. Let’s face it…the more you are exposed to bad news the more real it seems. Instead, focus on what you CAN control (your thoughts, how you spend your time, the words that come out of your mouth, what foods and drinks you put into your mouth).
On that note, here are a couple thoughts to support you in having a less stressful holiday season…
1) Know your limits. Whether budget or how many events you can cram into one weekend, know when to say when (wasn’t that from a drunk driving commercial?). I think it is really true though.
2) Speak your limits, kindly but firmly. You know when you are getting too stressed out. Be in partnership with your friends, family and business associates to let them know where your limits are. (“I would love to help you out with your project and if I can manage the time after I finish ___, I will. I should be able to let you know where I am at by noon on Wednesday. Does that work for you?”)
3) Take care of yourself. Go to bed on time. Give yourself time and space to decompress. Know what nourishes you and give you a special treat at least once a week. I’m not talking about a full day at the spa. I’m talking about a hot bubble bath or lunch with a friend; a treat to look forward to. One of my personal favorites is a mug of steaming hot tea, whatever flavor seems most appealing at the moment. A fellow tea drinker once shared that a cup of tea in the middle of a stressful day can be like a mini-vacation. Use it as a time to meditate on the flavor, the scents, the warmth. Take five minutes to be in the moment of drinking the tea. This leads me to my next point…
4) Be in the moment. One of the worst things about news is that it is discussing (negatively for the most part) things that we can do nothing about and that pull us into worry. Instead, focus on the here and now. When you are shopping, BE shopping. Focus on that task so you can be thorough, not miss anything and be efficient. When you are eating a meal, EAT the meal. Focus on the foods, nourishing your body, chewing thoroughly. When in a conversation, be IN the conversation. Pay attention to what the other person is saying. Bring resolution in that conversation if at all possible so there doesn’t need to be a bunch of follow up which makes it harder to plan our lives.
There are a ton more great ideas. I’ll save the rest for another day.
In the meantime if you have questions or concerns you would like me to address, please feel free to post a suggestion or comment. Thanks for being part of my cyber-world! In the meantime, take good care of yourself during the holidays!
Donna Copeland is an Independent Shaklee Distributor who enjoys sharing healthy living tips that she researches. You can find more out about Shaklee at www.DonnaCopeland.MyShaklee.com (Donna is paid by Shaklee for sales through her or her website.)
