Preventing Holiday Imbalance

Every year before the winter holidays, I imagine cozy fires, eggnog, family time, and the peace and joy we are supposed to be celebrating. And every year, my reality is a crazy work schedule, keeping up with the activities of two teenagers, and scrambling to make the season bright.

It doesn’t have to be this way, though. Here are a few tips on taking control of the chaos and enjoying the festivities.

Simplify. As much as I envision my home as an entire winter wonderland of lights and holiday décor, it takes a lot of work to achieve such ambiance. Choose a few key areas to focus on and add a few items to other areas and call it good.

Allow yourself to say no. Bombarded with invitations and requests for your time and effort this time of year? Don’t be a grinch and say no to everything, but do spread your activities out and choose the ones most important to you so you can actually relish the experience instead of rushing from one commitment to another.

Don’t neglect your yoga practice. It can be tempting to take some time off and come back after the new year, but this is when you need your yoga the most!

• Breathe. Don’t have time for class? Take 5 minutes and focus on the breath. Inhale and exhale completely and let it calm your mind. Repeat as needed throughout the day.

• Stretch. Make time to practice some forward folds and cobras for the back body, and open the hips (where we hold a lot of tension) with pigeon. Side bends and shoulder openers like thread the needle will feel amazing when you’re tense.

• Flow. Start your day with a few sun salutations if you aren’t able to attend your favorite class. A warrior flow will bring feelings of confidence while strengthening and stretching the body.

Most importantly, reach out to your yoga community when you’re feeling overwhelmed. You’ll likely find that you’re not alone and the support is appreciated on both sides.

By Heidi Drake; All Rights Reserved @2019