Not feeling particularly joyful this time of year? You’re not alone. Most people find that the holidays bring just as much stress as they do cheer. The good news is, there are plenty of ways to work toward a stress-free holiday season – and many of those ways start with you. Being mindful is a great place to start so we’ve gathered three mindful tips to de-stress this holiday season.
Now, before we dive into our tips, what exactly is mindfulness? Mindfulness is bringing your attention to the present moment and out of the past and future thoughts. It’s noticing the little positive things that often get lost in the hustle and bustle, and it’s bringing you to a space of nonjudgement and acceptance. Some people say that the present is the only reality.
While mindfulness can be a meditative practice, it can also be practiced in informal and conscious ways throughout our day-to-day routines. Here are three ways to practice it during this time of year for a brighter season.
1. Respond with kindness. Stress creates shorter fuses and bolder explosions. If you’re around someone who is reacting in this way, pause and consider responding with kindness. Think to yourself, “This person must be suffering inside, how can I help them?” Matching their anger will only elevate your own stress and take you two steps back from your goal.
2. Keep up your healthy habits. We know, the holidays have a way of taking up all your time and energy. But if you make it a point to keep up with your healthy habits and hobbies, the maintained normalcy can provide comfort during the harder times. If you enjoy yoga, promise yourself to attend the same number of classes you did before the holidays. If you indulge in Sunday massages, don’t miss one in December. You’ll be happy you didn’t.
3. Plan ahead to avoid last minute stress. As the saying goes, procrastination is the thief of time and what better way to accumulate stress than with the overbearing feeling of, “I don’t have time to complete my holiday responsibilities!” Sit down and make a list of what it is you need to accomplish this holiday season. Whether it’s gift buying, sorting through your items to create a donation bag, or spending time with friends and family who may be alone during the holidays… create a list and chip away at it every week.
We wish you a beautiful holiday season and hope that it’s as stress-free as possible. Don’t forget to consider Labella Mobile Nail Spa for gift certificates and memberships for all of our mobile spa services. We provide luxurious spa experiences that can help de-stress just about anyone! We are now offering massages in metro-Atlanta and will soon be offering this service in metro-Minneapolis. Contact us today.