Staying calm, peaceful and balanced is hard at the best of times, but during the busy holiday season it can sometimes feel impossible. This year especially, stress is taking its toll on my well-being more than ever as we settle into a new house in a new city, prepare to shop for our forever home, get the boys settled in a new school and deal with the overall hustle and bustle of the upcoming holidays.
That’s why I’ve decided to take steps to reclaim my inner peace and find my Zen so that I can enjoy the holiday season to its fullest. And these are the three ways I’ll be doing that!
Early Morning Meditation
Daily meditation offers a plethora of benefits, including increased mental focus, improved immunity, reduced blood pressure and improved memory. But finding the time to meditate when life gets busy can feel almost impossible. That’s why I’ve started setting my alarm fifteen minutes early so that I can use that extra time to reflect and prepare for the day.
By meditating first thing in the morning, I don’t feel like I’m stopping my work flow or losing time. And those few minutes of self-reflection also help me to feel more peaceful and energized throughout the entire day.
Healthy Eating
If I’m not energizing my body properly, I’m not going to be at my best. But unfortunately, those busy, stressful times are the ones when we’re most likely to reach for junk food. My meals are already quite healthy but to ensure I’m feeling great, I know I need to keep an eye on those snacks too.
By stocking up on healthy treats like whole nuts, fresh vegetables and even raw chocolate for an extra special treat, I can satisfy my cravings for something delicious without setting myself up for sluggishness later.
Giving Back
There are few things more spiritually restoring than helping others, whether it’s in a big way or a small one. From now on, I’m committing to helping another person at least once per week in some way. From donating food items to my local food bank (my personal favourite cause), to buying coffee for the person behind me in line, to helping a neighbour bring groceries into the house, there are so many small ways that I can make another person’s life a little easier. And doing so helps to restore a sense of calm and meaning to my own life as well!
Of course, despite practicing morning meditation and my other favourite techniques, I know stress is going to get the best of me from time to time. However, by being proactive about dealing with the stress, I’m confident I’ll be able to make the most of the weeks ahead of me. And being at peace during the holidays is really the best gift I can give myself!
I like to read or exercise which helps me keep calm and relaxed
Great tips. Definitely something I need to do more of. I love the morning peace
Thanks for the refresher, we really do tend to get carried away and forget about ourselves!
I make sure I make time to just chill out, read a book, and listen to some calming music on my own during the holidays. It helps to de-stress.
I needed this! Thanks for the advice!
Thank you for sharing. I do have to tell myself to calm down when the holidays come.
As a practising Christian, I am reminded that meditation should be part of my life. I do meditate but not nearly often or long enough. As you say, it has healthful benefits for body, mind and soul.
Your post reminds me that I should be doing more meditation to help my whole self. Thank you for a very inspiring and insightful post.
all good tips! I do love the quiet time before anyone else is up in the mornings! or late at night at times..peace and quiet ,time to just relax
All excellent tips,i recently started yoga and i love it now to work on increasing my inner peace
I would love to learn how to do meditation! I feel I would benefit greatly from it!