As the holiday season kicks off with Halloween, it's easy to get caught up in the hectic pace of parties, shopping and trying to fit more than we can handle into a single day. Often in the middle of the mayhem, our healthy habits and nurturing self care gets tossed to the wind. Here are some suggestions to stay on track with treating yourself with love.
1. Breath
Breathing is essential for life and restoring your body's energy. However, when you're feeling overwhelmed or stressed you tend to take short shallow breaths which causes the body to become even more stressed and tired. I invite you right now to try something. Take a moment to pause and take a deep slow breath in through your nose, and gently exhale through your mouth. Do it two more times. Notice how you're feeling. Are you feeling more relaxed? Are you more aware of your body? Taking time through out the day to stop and breath, is a great way to recharge your energy, refocus your mind and connect with yourself.
"For breath is life, and if you breathe well you will live long on earth." –Sanskrit Proverb
2. Be Patient
Do you ever find yourself wishing you could do something quicker, learn something faster, or reach your goals right this minute? Insisting on quick results or having unrealistic expectations puts unnecessary pressure on yourself and only creates stress and overwhelm. This limits how well you function and depletes your energy. Life, learning and growth is a process, not an event. Like a child learning to walk or talk, it happens over time, and is usually celebrated. Love, accept and celebrate your life and trust in it's natural flow and timing.
"If I have ever made any valuable discoveries, it has been owing more to patient attention, than to any other talent." –Sir Isaac Newton
3. Schedule a date night with yourself
Inspired by one of our Get Up Girl grads, I love this idea for making time to nurture and pamper yourself. Do those things that you rarely have time for, but truly enjoy! You could take a luxurious bubble bath, listen to music you love, put on that cozy robe and curl up with a great book, or rent your favorite movie and order take-out. Whatever you choose to do, schedule your date night with yourself in your calendar and enjoy a special evening with you!
"I restore myself when I'm alone." –Marilyn Monroe
4. Say NO
I don't know about you, but sometimes it's hard for me to say 'no'. I like being supportive and pleasing others, but over the years I've learned that saying 'yes' when I really want to say 'no', is a way I dishonor myself. Take time to check in with yourself and what your heart is really telling you before saying 'yes' to the people and the many requests in your life.
"A 'No' uttered from the deepest conviction is better than a 'Yes' merely uttered to please." –Mohatma Ghandi
5. Be Playful
You were born to play. Playing is instinctive and fundamental to human existence. Easily forgotten as an adult, engaging in playful activities nurtures you physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. Playing is good for the brain and can support you feeling light, relaxed and engaged in life. Whether you enjoy a good game of Monopoly, doing arts and crafts, or playing tennis, make time to play and enjoy some serious fun!
"What do most Nobel Laureates, innovative entrepreneurs, artists and performers, well-adjusted children, happy couples and families, and the most successfully adapted mammals have in common? They play enthusiastically throughout their lives." –Stuart Brown
6. Do less
In this fast paced, over scheduled, multi-tasking, social networking world, daily life can sometimes feel very busy, but not necessarily fulfilling or meaningful. One solution is choosing to do less. Often by doing less, the quality of your efforts increases. The reason is your energy isn't split or spread to thin. You're able to focus your attention and energy at a higher level, which also increases how satisfied you feel. Doing less also translates to less stress and greater peace of mind.
"Being selective, doing less –is the path of the productive. Focus on the important few and ignore the rest." –Timothy Ferris
by Margalit Ward
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