Ten Ways to Get Your Groove Back After the Holidays

“Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful” – The Rev. Norman Vincent Peale

The joy - and stress of Christmas is over.  The office parties, family gatherings and gift giving will soon be a distant memory.   The holidays give us time to pause and remember the things that are important in life.  Keep the traditions with which we are familiar.  We love making merry and hate to see it end.

But the demands and expectations, the rushing to get things done have taken their toll.   You’re left feeling exhausted and burned out from all that magic and joy.    And perhaps a little regretful.

Maybe you ate too much and gained a few pounds.   Maybe you spent too much even though you had a strict budget.   Maybe it’s just the quiet of winter.   Some people experience serious mood changes when the season is over.   Tiredness, fatigue, depression and irritability. Or just the blues.

 It’s safe to say that after expending so much energy over the last few months, your body needs down time to recharge and rejuvenate.   You need outlets that help you reduce stress as well as stay positive and upbeat.

It’s easier to lift your spirits when you have something to look forward to.    The activities you choose to get involved in for stress relief should afford you a sense of overall well being.   Practicing deep breathing, affirmations, meditation, visualization and progressive relaxation (BAM VP) top the list for emotional balance.

Plan some low energy activities over the next few days that you enjoy doing.   For example:

       1.      Get out and enjoy nature – fresh air and sunshine are terrific mood boosters.
       2.    See the show you missed during the holidays.
       3.    Meet a good friend(s) for lunch and share holiday trials and triumphs.
       4.    Rent a funny movie and get a good laugh.  Laughter is another great mood booster.
       5.    Listen to music that makes you nostalgic.  Puts you in a good mood.
       6.    Replace negative thinking – the “why does everything happen to me” thoughts – with self- 
             affirming talk (I deserve to be happy and healthy)!

7.      Interact with a child, laugh and let your “inner child” come out to play.

       8.      Spend the day enjoying a favorite hobby.  Create something with your hands.
       9.      Take that Christmas gift certificate and buy something just for you.
       10.  Get a full body massage.   An excellent way to feel pampered, invigorate the body and  
             increase those feel good endorphins.

 

Taking time out to take care of you is a form of self-therapy that eases the tensions from the joy and stress of the season.  Pleasurable outlets that help you reduce stress are vital when you need to beat the holiday blues and get your groove back.  As for those few extra pounds.  Well that’s what New Year’s Resolutions are for.

 

 

Trouble Sleeping? The Top 5 remedies for a Good Night's Sleep

BAM VP - Be A More Vibrant Person in 2012

P is for progressive relaxation.  A technique of systemically tightening and relaxing each muscle group until your entire body is relaxed.  Feels like a deep muscle massage.  At the end of a long day progressive relaxation is an excellent sleep aid.
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Trouble Sleeping?  The Top 5 Remedies for a Good Night's Sleep

"Finish each day and be done with it.  You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities have crept in; forget them as soon as you can.  Tomorrow is a new day..." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

"It's 2 am.  Why can't I fall asleep?"  A recent study revealed that insomnia affects 6% to 10% of adults and is twice as common in women as men.  If you lie awake at night worrying about falling asleep your anxiety actually prevents you from doing so.  This internal dialogue becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

From time to time we all have bouts of insomnia.  A bad night once in a while is a normal part of life.  If your insomnia is a new situation or a chronic one, investigate the cause.  A new medication keeping you too alert to relax?  Diuretics or a more serious health problem causing frequent trips to the bathroom? Menopause with its erratic hormonal symptoms interrupting a woman's (and sometimes her husband's) sleep!   In these situations check with your doctor to determine if there is a need for treatment.

More often than not it is lifestyle, the hectic pace of too much to do and too little time to do it.  The stress of work, family and finances.  The anxiety spills into the bedroom and what should be a temporary problem falling asleep becomes a negative association with going to bed.  But with a few tweaks your bedroom can become a haven for rest and relaxation.

1. Think of your bedroom as your sanctuary.  Reframe your self-talk.  Instead of thinking, "I have to get some sleep tonight", put the emphasis on rest and relaxation.  Tell yourself, "I'm going to lie here and just relax tonight".  Give yourself permission to get a good night's rest.
2. Link bed time with your time to wind down.  Take a warm bath, sip herbal teas, read a book, spray a relaxing lavender or chamomile fragrance in your bedroom, play relaxing music.  Adjust the room temperature so it is not too hot or cold.  Block out light as much as possible and use a sleep mask to ensure total Zen. You may have to experiment to find what works best to relax you. 
3. Avoid all activities that may cause high anxiety.  Turn off the TV, nightly news.  Put away the laptop, iPad; turn off the phone and blackberry.  Avoid caffeine, alcohol consumption and aerobic exercises in the evening.
4. Stop the mind chatter and worry before you go to bed.  Set aside 15 to 20 minutes each night to write down everything that is stressing you.  Sit in a comfortable chair.  Set the timer.  When the time is up, put down the pen and put your problems away for the night.   Make a promise to yourself that the rest of the night is your time for relaxation.
5. *Progressive relaxation is one of the best techniques to channel your body's natural ability to calm down and fall asleep.  While lying in bed begin to slowly tense and relax each muscle group systematically from toe to head - or head to toe if that feels more natural.  Repeat at least once.  During the second round visualize yourself enjoying a deep massage of each muscle group.

Your bedroom is now your sanctuary.  Your bed...a place for relaxation and a good night's rest.


BAM VP - Breath, Affirmation, Meditation, Visualization, Progressive Relaxation

*Learn more relaxation techniques in my audio recording, "Just Relax Like This".