What have you done for YOU lately?
[Photo credit: iStockphoto.com/puhimec]
As the holiday season ramps up and your calendar overflows with activities and commitments, it’s easy to let your maintenance routines fall by the wayside. However, prioritizing your health and well-being is critical during these busy times.
Here are some simple, easy ideas to reduce stress and focus on YOU:
Box Breathing. Breathwork is simple, easy, and available to you at ANY time – in the car, in line at the post office, at a staff meeting, or lying in bed. For Box Breathing, you breathe in for four seconds, hold for four seconds, exhale for four seconds, and hold for four seconds. Repeat. Not only does it slow down your breathing, but it also forces your brain to pay attention and focus on your breath, which helps to regulate your nervous system and calm anxiety.
The Calming Cup. Instead of running out the door with your favorite morning beverage that you’ll gulp down as you navigate traffic on your way to work, take time to enjoy it at home before you leave. Feel the warmth of the cup in your hands and notice the flavors as you take each sip. Instant calm.
Self-Massage. When you wash your face, are you rushing to get it done or are you really paying attention to how it feels? Just like the rest of our bodies, our faces can benefit from therapeutic massage. Spend one minute focused on massaging your face every day to reduce jaw tension and headaches, improve your skin tone, and promote relaxation.
Make Your Bed. It takes about three minutes to make your bed in the morning and the benefits are tremendous: doing so starts your day with a feeling of accomplishment (one thing done!), helps your bedroom look tidy, lowers stress, and research has revealed that people who make their bed are 206% more likely to be millionaires.
Practice Gratitude. Studies have shown that taking time to be thankful may reduce anxiety and depression, relieve stress, and improve sleep. Thank the person who holds the door open for you, the person who bags your groceries, and your spouse for taking the car to get the oil changed, or start a daily gratitude journal and jot down three things for which you are grateful.
Speaking of gratitude, I’m incredibly grateful to you - my clients and friends - for your continued support and referrals. I feel incredibly lucky to help people simplify their homes and lives while creating positive change.
Here’s to a simple, beautiful, relaxing holiday season.
