Self-Care Rituals to Unwind During the Busy Holiday Season (1/2)
Searching for a way to wind down and relax during the holidays?
One of the first things to go neglected at this festive yet stressful time of year is self care. We're so busy planning, shopping, communicating, coordinating, and celebrating that we tend to push aside our calming and stress-relieving rituals. That's when holiday fun becomes holiday headaches…
We skip the gym to bake and eat cookies.
We opt out of yoga class and stay up late to catch up with chores that we missed while out shopping or merrymaking.
Instead of taking it easy after a long day, we just pile more tasks onto our to-do list.
Holiday time is surely delightful, but the amount of added anxiety can at times, become frightful.
We Need a Break From the Stress!
It's the old proverbial cup: we can't expect to take care of others' needs if the cup of our own replenishment has run dry. This is where making time for self care becomes critical to our enjoyment of the holidays.
What Is Self-Care?
Self care encompasses any activity that you do to shut off your mind, relax, and relieve stress. Tension accumulates in our muscles throughout the busy day. We need to get rid of that stress - either through exercise, or through mindful (or mindless?) relaxation. This is where self-care comes in.
Self care helps us turn our minds off. We have technology to thank for keeping our minds constantly active, engaged and on high alert. If we're not responding to messages or answering calls, we're using our smart phones to schedule plans, find information, or search out answers to the questions that boggle our brains.
Exercise As Self-Care
Exercise is one of the best stress-relieving forms of self care. It's up to you where and how you choose to alleviate anxiety by stretching and exercising your muscles. Here's an interesting fact: weight-bearing exercise, like jogging, helps the body hold onto calcium. So not only does a self-care ritual like running a few times a week strengthen your muscles and cardio-vascular system, but it also apparently is good for your bones.
Reducing Stress at the Gym
You don't have to wait until New Years' resolutions kick in to start up a gym membership. For busy moms who need a break from the kids and some me-time, the gym can be an ideal way to offload stress from your busy holiday routine. Use the cardio machines, do some reps with weights. Or, sign up for a spin class or some instructor-led yoga. Just a few days a week can mean a real difference in your outlook and bring stress levels way down.
Exercise at Home
What if the gym just isn't your thing? (Or it’s not even an option anymore?) Not everyone thrives in this type of social environment. Maybe you prefer to have peace and quiet during exercise. Maybe watching other gym members coming and going is not your idea of relaxation. Slip in a half-hour of jogging outdoors. Work your core muscles using the exercise ball or get your heart rate up with a fitness hula hoop. Do it on your own time, in your own space.
At-home workouts can greatly relieve stress. This is a great form of exercise that you don't have to leave the house to enjoy. Exercise any time of day or night, even in your underwear. Pilates, tae-bo, tai-chi on video, zumba… all are available on video to follow along with. You can also invest in an exercise bike, elliptical machine or even a tread mill if you've got the space.
See you tomorrow for more Self-Care Rituals to Unwind During the Busy Holiday Season!