It’s that time of year again.
I was shocked this year to see stores decorating for the holidays before we’d even celebrated Halloween! When talking with clients, friends and loved ones it seems that so often we are disappointed in the Holiday Season before it even begins. Here at the School and in the clinic we’ve been chatting recently about the materialism and the accompanying pressures that result: pressure to get the right gift, provide the right entertainment and I have even heard about the difficulty of acquiring the perfect LED lights for decorating the house. So, my gift to you this Holiday Season is the gift of imperfection!
Make Rest a Priority
A gift you can give yourself – take some time to rest and repair over the holidays. With our hectic daily schedules, daily stressors like traffic and work issues, and families to care for, many of us simply don’t get enough rest. Take time out of your busy holiday schedule (especially now that you don’t have to have the perfect holiday) to get some extra rest. Rest is important. We put a lot of focus on exercise, but remember that rest is as important as physical activity for general health, and getting adequate amounts of quality rest and sleep needs to be a priority. Find time during the holidays to “just be”. Be passive, without stimulation, and doing nothing. Take full advantage of these moments to let your mind and body take a break, even if it is just for five or ten minutes. If you have trouble letting go, even for a few minutes, usebreathing exercises to quiet your mind and relax, and help you put the day-to-day concerns in perspective. And don’t forget that a copy of my CD Acceptance is not only a prefect Christmas gift for loved ones, but a great gift for yourself and can be used anytime to help you slow down and just be.
In addition consider building into your schedule ten to twenty minutes each afternoon to lie down and nap. I’m a huge fan of naps and never seem to have time during the working week to fit them in, so when on vacation I do my best to ensure I take time to nap. It’s best to lie down in a darkened room and believe it or not, this simple and enjoyable routine may actually improve your quality of night-time sleep!
All of us at the School of Complementary Therapies trust this email finds you in happy anticipation of the upcoming holiday season and planning some much deserved time off for yourselves.
And a final thought for those of you that just hate the season! Remember that people have been celebrating this time of year forever. It used to be the Winter Solstice celebration on December 21; a time to celebrate the return of the light after the long dark days. So, it doesn’t have to be about gifts and shopping! The season is about getting together with loved ones to celebrate the return of the light, which is beautiful. And, at my celebrations I always invite people to bring whichever gods and goddesses are meaningful to them.
Leave a Reply