We all know the holiday season to be the most ‘wonderful‘ time of the year but, once Christmas is over it’s a free-for-all to get ready for the new year. The short amount of time in-between the 26th and the 1st doesn’t allow us a lot of time to breath but, it does have everyone rushing to prepare for a new set of parties and put their ‘Christmas spirit‘ behind them while not missing a beat with their everyday work/family life.
Basically, vacation is over, you might be jet-lagged, and the house all of a sudden seems too cluttered. Tasks such as taking down lights and removing decorations from the tree can snap just about anyone’s patience if it’s wearing thin to begin with. So how do we avoid getting too worked up?
While everyone has their own methods, these are 5 things I do to keep myself in balance on any average day- and I hope they work for you this season.
[Picture credit: 360 Flex]
1.) Aromatherapy
One of the easiest (and my personal favorite) things I do to unwind is put some essential oils in a diffuser (can be found cheap at most local department stores), preferably lavender due to its calming qualities, and place it where I spend most of my time (which happens to be my office).
If you do not want an entire space smelling like essential oils, putting a few drops directly on your skin can do the trick. Take anywhere from 1-2 drops and rub into your temples in slow, circular motions. For this method I usually use peppermint oil due to its relation of curing (or minimizing) headaches.
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2.) Drink a hot beverage
This might seem silly but, it works every time I’m feeling stressed. When I am in a rush to do what feels like a million things at once, I make a stop at a local coffee shop and order a hot beverage (which for me is chai tea). From there I usually have to wait approximately 10 minutes for it to cool down enough to drink it comfortably. While the drink itself is rewarding, a ‘treat yourself ‘ moment if you will, the real magic happens in that 10 minute wait time. Though it may be short lived, I fully allow myself to decompress and take a step back to map out the chaos I tend to create for myself. It may not be a well known fact but, hot beverages have the power to slow people down- which is what we all need at the end of the year.
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3.) Yoga
Sometimes all it takes is five minutes of stretching to loosen up (both physically and mentally). Try finding at least three different positions you feel most comfortable in and rotate between them. A few of my personal favorites, which are also beginner friendly, are; supported corpse pose, legs up the wall, child’s pose, and wide angle fold. All four of these poses posses qualities that help relax the mind, body, and soul and will give you a refreshing feeling while not amping you up more.
If you allow yourself more than five minutes to relax, I would highly suggest enrolling in a yoga class or even picking up a video to follow along with at home. Seriously, yoga is a game changer.
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4.) Look out the window
This is probably the most humbling way to calm down in my opinion. As I watch the world blur past me, it makes me realize just how much I overlook or take for granted. I notice how much happens when I’m usually not looking- I notice that I’m not the only one having issues. I realize the world is ever-changing and that if I don’t take the time to slow down and look around to really soak in my environment, the things I have grown so accustomed to seeing/experiencing subconsciously will one day be gone before I consciously realize it.
In a sense, looking out a window, for any period of time, sobers me up.
[Picture credit: Favim.com]
5.) Spend time with friends & family
Do not isolate yourself. You do not need to feel as though you are taking on everything alone because that’s one way to stress yourself out even more- and for no reason at all. Remember, you do not need to wait for a special occasion to have fun. There might be a lot on your plate but, you do not have to eat it all at once nor do you have to eat it alone. Allow others to help you especially when they offer. No one is going to look down on you for accepting help.
You do not need to dedicate the whole day to spending time with others but, make an effort to spend at least an hour. Forget that laundry list of things to do at home and take a step back. Immerse yourself in laughter (rumor has it it’s the best medicine).