3 Fast and Easy Tips to Maintain Your Well-Being During the Holidays

If you think that energy was moving fast before, the holidays can turbo boost that energy into levels that can tip the scale. That can feel like dread, anxiety, and overwhelm. Why is that? Think of it this way, if everything is energy and we’re all in motion, the holidays bring up a lot more activity and emotion. Much of that energy and emotion is unconscious. So if we don’t have coping mechanisms, or energy practices in place for well-being we can tend to be pulled along with the undertow. What Does Well-Being Mean to You? Good health, good fortune, contentment, success, abundance, freedom, enjoyment. Ease in body, mind and spirit. Clarity and ability to choose wisely. That covers well-being for me. Contrast that list of descriptive states of well-being with what normally happens during the holidays. Cooking too much, eating too much of the wrong foods. Jamming in another party, rushing out to buy another last minute gift. Dropping the exercise or meditation routine because there’s too much to do. Eating too much sugar, drinking too much alcohol. Bloating. Wow, what a contrast! It’s true there’s some merry making in between it all, but at what cost? If you’re the kind of person who has a hard time saying “No,” then it’s that much more imperative that you find your boundaries and honor them. I propose that you can establish healthy boundaries, enjoy the holidays, and remain in a state of well-being. How, you ask? By practicing these quick and easy energy tips and tools. Tip #1 – Three Conscious Breaths Close your eyes. Place your hand on your heart. Inhale through the nose, exhale through the mouth. Exhale on the syllable – Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. Do this 3 times. Conscious breathing will bring you back into your body and thereby brings you back into the present moment. All of your power is in the here and now. When you run into the future, planning on what you need to do next and how you’re going to fit it all in today, not only do you breath shallowly, your cortisol levels spike. And you know what cortisol, stress do for increasing belly fat. Instead tune in, breathe and trigger the comfort hormone, oxytocin. You do things for your entire nervous system when you breath this way. Tip #2 – Trouble saying ‘NO’ If you have a hard time saying “No”, you’re not alone. The people pleaser in us wants to be of service. We often feel flattered being asked, being needed. You don’t have to alienate someone by saying No outright. It’s easier when you don’t have to commit in the moment. Try offering that you have to check your schedule against the family schedule first. This buys you time. It’s will be a lot easier to center yourself and respond later that you just can’t fit that duty into your schedule. Tip #3 – Play the ‘What If’ Game What if I could wave my magic wand and give you a magic wand? What if you were Queen for the day and you could delegate? What if five of those ten things were insignificant things that don’t really need to get done? What if you could be of service in ways that are great but don’t cost you a lot of energy or stress? Hmmmm, what if that was sharing some encouragement, a compliment, or a smile? What if you spent a few moments appreciating everyone who wants your attention? What if you empowered them to do things for themselves? Or even for you?! What if it could all really be that easy? Wow, what if? Don’t you feel lighter already? What if you could? See how shifting your focus on what’s possible has a lightening effect? And do you see how quickly that happens? Practice these tips when you don’t need them. That way they’ll be at your fingertips when you do need them. Remember to tune in to the present moment with your breathing. Learn to say YES to you by saying NO to the frenzy. And take a few moments to engage your imagination for lightening your load. When you use these quick tips, you’ll tap into your natural state of well-being, have a lot more personal power and enjoy the holidays more than ever.