Body-Mind-Heart-Soul Stress Reducing Tips

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Body-Mind-Heart-Soul Stress Reducing Tips For The Holiday Season
4 Things You Can Do on the Four Levels of Your Being

For many people, the holiday season brings up all kinds of anxiety and stress triggered by the thought of family gatherings, relationship, finance, expectations of others and expectations of your Self, the physical, mental and emotional demands of entertaining or being social when perhaps you are not feeling up to it. These physical, mental and emotional demands can deplete your energy reserves and compromise your immune system making you more susceptible to colds and flu which is the last thing you want for holidays.

From the perspective of body-mind-heart-soul health and wellness, the following are some helpful tips to minimize your anxiety and stress levels on all four levels of your being through the holidays :

Physical Level: Make sure you take extra good care of your physical body during the holidays:

When eating be mindful of each savory bite. People have a tendency to overeat and over drink because of the abundance of food and drink that seems to show up everywhere and because people use this food and drink to try and fill their anxiety and stress. Watch your fat, sugar, processed carbohydrate, caffeine and alcohol intake. Mindful eating and drinking will slow down your food quantity intake and allow your stomach to feel full before you eat too much.

Maintain your exercise routine to help work off those extra calories and to help release the mental and emotional stress. Yoga is a great exercise routine that benefits all levels of your being: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. At a minimum take walks or hikes, preferably in nature and remember to make it like your moving meditation as you look at all the beauty that surrounds you.

Consider taking extra immune boosting and stress relieving vitamins and supplements. Vitamin C, B, adrenal support, and amino acids are good basic choices to help in this regard. Always consult with your medical doctor for compatibility with a particular medical condition or medication you may be taking.

Get enough sleep. A good 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night is essential for your body to fully recover from the day. If this is not possible, then take a 15 – 20 minute nap in the afternoon to feel refreshed enough for the evening. Any more sleep will actually make you feel more tired, or make it difficult to fall asleep at night when you want to.

Budget your spending . Don’t allow yourself to go into debt buying gifts, entertaining or traveling. You will only pay for it in the coming year with added financial stress. If you like to entertain, have your family and friends contribute to your holiday feast so you do not carry the whole financial burden. Having them participate in this way makes them feel a part of the party, rather than a mere guest.

Mental Level: Maintain reasonable expectations for your Self, your family, friends and co-workings during the holidays.

Practice acceptance of what is possible and what is not possible. Having high expectations of your Self and others will set you up for disappointment, hurt and anger. Sometimes it is not possible for all family members to come together at the same time, so be grateful and thankful for who and what is present with you.
Plan ahead and have realistic expectations of your energy levels. During the holidays, everything seems to take more time and be more of a hassle to accomplish. Plan your shopping days effectively to minimize driving in holiday traffic. Prioritize your obligations and commitments and learn to nicely say “No.” to family and friends who may want you to do more than you really want or can handle.
Take mental time-outs. Whenever you start to feel the anxiety and tension building up, stop what ever you are doing and take three deep breaths through your nose, filling your lungs to 80% capacity and exhaling through your mouth to 80% capacity. By the time you have taken your last deep inhalation and released it, your whole nervous system will have calmed down and your mind will have cleared.
Do one nurturing thing per week for your Self. Much of the holidays are about doing things for other people. In order to prevent burn out, make a list of 10 possible nurturing things you could do for your Self and tape it to your bathroom mirror; i.e. receive a massage, pedicure or reflexology, read your favorite book, walk on the beach, play your favorite game, go to an uplifting movie, soak in an aroma-therapy bath with candles and mood music . Reward yourself during the holiday season with a Self-nurturing treat once a week to bring balance.

Emotional Level: The holiday season brings up “triggers” in everyone. Understanding that you are not alone in feeling anxious or stressed, will help you to be more tolerant of others when they act or say something that feels abrupt, hurtful or inconsiderate.

Practice patience, empathy, compassion and forgiveness. From November through the New Year most people you interact with will be experiencing triggers of their own, from family members and friends to sales clerks, co-workers and strangers driving in their cars. When you encounter frustration, aggression or sadness with others, remember that you, too, can act the same way in given situations.

Go with the flow. Let go of control and let go of perfection. During the holidays, the best made plans and visions can sometimes go awry. If at the last minute your ex-wife doesn’t let the children come over, your mother or father criticizes your life, your brother insults your in-laws, take a mental time-out with three deep breaths and let it go. Look for the positive things you have in the present moment.

Transform your melancholy and depression into joy and gratitude. If you find yourself without family or friends during the holidays and sinking into sadness, then pick yourself up and volunteer at a homeless shelter or other charitable cause. Once you put yourself amongst others that are less fortunate than yourself and you experience the gratitude your charity inspires in others, your entire mood will shift into gratitude and thankfulness, too.

Seek support from friends or a professional. Spending time with friends can ease feelings of being alone in the world. However, if your feelings of loneliness, despair and depression feel overwhelming, don't be embarrassed to call a crises hot line or seek out support of a professional therapist. Hot lines are readily available on the inter net, in a phone book or even 911.

Spiritual Level: Bring purpose and meaning into your holiday experience. Spirituality is personal to each person and even the agnostic can look for deeper meaning and connection to one Self and others from a philosophical perspective.

Reflect on deeper meaning and purpose. Before the holiday season is upon you, take some time to reflect on the deeper meaning of the holiday season for you personally, for your family, friends, neighbors, community and the world and perhaps write this new awareness down to help you remember throughout the coming year.
Create a new holiday ritual or tradition. This can be solely for your Self, or can include your family, friends and your community. Bringing and sharing purpose and meaning to and with a greater audience naturally inspires the opening of one’s heart.
Practice random acts of kindness. The holiday season is a good time to adopt charity as a practice for daily living. A charitable heart expresses itself in many ways, including simple acts of kindness when you are walking on the street, driving in your car, shopping, standing in line, etc. Even a warm smile and heart-felt compliment can make another person’s entire day.

Dianne Porchia, MA
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Stress Reduction, Metabolic Assessment, Communication Skills, Mindful Nature Hikes

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