It’s the most wonderful time of the yearrrrrr! Christmas music, Holiday parties, and plenty of reasons to be merry. However, during this time of year it’s important to be extra diligent about your wellness practices. The holiday season puts increased stress on the body and positively managing that stress is so important.
Stress is a normal part of life and defined by the Cleveland Clinic as the “body’s reaction to any change that requires an adjustment or response”. Your body responds to both positive and negative stress by creating a physical, mental, or emotional response.
What are some negative Holday stressors we experience?
- Physical Stressors: increased travel, irregular schedules, increased alcohol consumption, dietary indulgences like sweets and hearty comfort foods
- Mental + Emotional Stressors: comparison, Holiday Party FOMO, feeling the pressure to create huge “New Year, New Me” goals, not wanting to let anyone down
- Financial Stressors – cost of Ubers, event tickets, license renewals, gifts for yourself + others
TOP 5 TIPS FOR MANAGING HOLIDAY STRESS
1. BE PRESENT
Pay attention to how you are FEELING. The body is full of wisdom and is always trying to get our attention. Be present to how you feel moment to moment and day to day. Did you commit to an event but woke up with a sore throat? Cancel! On your third glass of champs and getting a headache — Put it down and drink water! Feel like you need some fresh air — bundle up and go for a walk! Listening to your body + intuition can make all the difference between feeling great and feeling miserable in the morning.
2. MOVE
You have to move your body – you absolutely must! Yogic philosophy teaches that physical, mental, and emotional tensions are stored in the body. If this tension is not released, it begins to manifest as discomfort + disease. Committing to movement is MANDATORY this time of year. If you want to keep it chill at home, check out Fierce Clarity Yoga or Uncle Shaun T workouts on Beachbody On Demand! Pre-pandemic, I was a big fan of ClassPass because it holds you accountable for attending class because it charges you if you no show!
3. SUPPLEMENT
During the Holiday season, chances are you’re not eating three well-balanced meals per day. To ensure you’re getting all your nutrients to consider supplementing with a bioavailable multivitamin or nutritional supplement. A few of my favs are
- Sakara — I love the Detox + Beauty Drops, Metabolism Powder and the Protein + Greens powder. You can save 20% with the code “XOFierceClarity”
- MoonJuice — I love the Unstress Stack that comes with SuperYou Vitamins + Magnesium Powder. You take SuperYou in the AM for energy and to balance your hormones, then the MagnesiOM in the evening to chill out.
- 8Greens — 8greens makes it easy + convenient to make sure you’re getting your greens + vitamins + minerals.
4. CUSTOMIZE YOUR TRADE-OFFS
While we’d love to do it all, we can’t. There will always be a few tradeoffs and sacrifices we have to make to be our best selves. It’s your job to prioritize and figure out what sacrifices you’d be willing to make to keep your wellness goals on track. Want to avoid being hungover? — don’t overindulge in sweets and alcohol. Want to feel at ease?– avoid too many weekend commitments. Want to stay in shape? — skip some social events so you can work out. You get the idea 🙂
5. SPEND CONSCIOUSLY
Be mindful of your spending habits. It’s equally important to ensure we aren’t creating financial stress for ourselves during this time of year. While it’s okay to spend some of that disposable income, keep your long term goals in mind. Don’t go overboard with sales and remember to always purchase from local + sustainably sourced companies whenever possible.
Remember — everything is fine in moderation. It’s a journey to find your perfect balance but small healthy choices add up. Wishing you a calm, relaxing, and exciting Holiday season with as little stress as possible. Want more? Click HERE to learn more quick + easy hacks to create More Balance During the Holidays. 🙂
