Nourishing Yourself Throughout the Holidays

Ahh, the holidays. Or shall I say the “hellidays” as that’s what I called the holidays for MANY YEARS. Fraught with expectation, traveling, overconsumption, overindulgence, and spreading myself way too thin, I came to resent and dread the holidays. That is, until I learned how to care for and tend to myself during this vulnerable and sometimes overwhelming couple of months.

Getting swept up in the momentum and fervor of the season can happen, it’s in the caring for oneself that can help ground you. You can ground yourself with practices such as yoga, meditation, and breathwork, and yes, I know these practices can seem like one more thing to do in an already full holiday schedule. Below are simple, effective grounding practices to keep you connected to yourself and the earth during this season.

Yoga postures to ground - Practice any one of these postures for a few minutes everyday.
Child’s pose
Savasana
Supine twists
Waterfall pose

Pranayama to ground - Breathwork can be practiced anytime, anywhere.
Sama Vritti - as you breathe in, count to three. As you breathe out, count to three. Repeat.

Meditation to ground - Close your eyes, still your body, and breathe. Use a mantra to ground and anchor you. For instance, “I breathe in (peace, serenity, grace, kindness), I breathe out (tension, anxiety, stress).”

Create space in your life - Practice saying no to commitments, expectations, and “shoulds” and say YES to yourself and your serenity.

Be kind and compassionate to yourself, dear yogis.

By Liz Skarvelis; All Rights Reserved @2018