Well, it’s that time of year again! We’re starting to make plans for the holidays. Whose house? What time? What day? What dish do we bring? Or maybe we’re lucky enough to host!
Although there are a LOT of amazing things that come along with this time of year, there are also a lot of not-so-nice things, too such as weight gain, fatigue, stress, and many more. Maybe you wish you could afford more gifts or travel further to see family. These feelings of guilt may pop up too, putting you in an emotional tailspin. Whatever is coming up for you at this merry time of year, it’s good to be preemptive and start getting in front of the problem now, rather than waiting until you are completely overwhelmed.
These are my top three ways to keep calm during the holidays. As a life and business coach for soul-seekers, I always encourage my clients to create a life and business that is sustainable. Doing so will help reduce the self-imposed stress of not doing enough, but will also set you up in the long run for improved health. I also use these tips after the holidays, but make sure to start when the weather starts getting cold. I know that by nurturing and nourishing my body, I will be ahead of the curve when it comes to beating stress.
Tip #1: Keep a strict bedtime routine
It’s really important for quality sleep (which directly impacts stress levels) to be a non-negotiable in your daily routine. Carve out at LEAST fifteen minutes (thirty is even better!) to dedicate to your nightly ritual. This could be setting your alarm, putting your phone on silent and plugging in ACROSS the room, snuggling up in bed or your favorite chair with a fuzzy blanket, grabbing an uplifting book (fill your mind with positivity before bed to help you wake up in a better mood) and sipping your favorite bedtime tea or golden milk.
Golden milk is warm and full of nourishing herbs to help fight stress and sickness. Here is a simple recipe to make your own:
Dry Ingredients:
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ ginger powder
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp turmeric
Directions:
Warm dry ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
Wet Ingredients:
- ½ tsp vanilla
- Ghee or coconut oil
- Unsweetened almond milk
Directions:
Add all wet ingredients to dry ingredients in saucepan and cook over medium to medium-high heat until warm and well combined. Enjoy warm in your favorite mug!
Tip #2: Get your body moving for 15 minutes a day
My favorite ways to get moving on a daily basis are yoga, walking and HIIT because they are effective at getting my mood and heart rate up. I like to set the bar kind of low, with 15 minutes, and if I want to keep going longer, I will but if I don’t, I don’t beat myself up over it and pat myself on the back for just doing that little bit. It really does all add up. Don’t wait to exercise until you can fit in a whole hour, otherwise you may never get around to it. I’ve found that doing a little bit everyday adds up to more than doing one hour, one time per week.
Tip #3: Pump up the nutrition
I love when the weather turns cooler because that is the time for all the fall crops! Root veggies, grains and beans are a great way to stay grounded during the hectic events that surround this time of year. Fill your plate with half veggies then ¼ of the plate can be grains and ¼ can be a lean protein such as legumes or animal protein. Check out your local farms and see if you can stock up on root vegetables such as carrots, beets, potatoes, sweet potatoes, turnips and parsnips. Find out how to store them and you’ll be able to use them for a few weeks to come!
Easy ways to get in your nutrients:
- Vegetable soups
- Casseroles
- Crockpot meals
- Buddha bowls
I hope this helps you to get ready to enjoy the holidays instead of being stressed out by them! Have a fabulous holiday season and let us know in the comments your easy ways to stay sane and healthy this time of year.
About the Author
Crystal Gray is an E-RYT 500 yoga teacher and proud YogaClub Tribe Leader living in central Illinois on a 20 acre organic vegetable farm with her husband and daughter. She is the creator of the Yoga Goddess Academy, an online spiritual sisterhood, leads local and destination retreats and yoga teacher trainings and coaches yogis and soul-preneurs on finding their purpose and building businesses around that purpose. She makes yoga and spirituality accessible to everyone and every body and gives students the tools to be their own Guru.
