Even the very best intentions can bring on stress.  The holiday season is just one huge way that we actually express stress in a compressed timeframe. So much to do and feeling there is so little time to do it in.  Then it “all” feels bigger, more stressful and as if it might sometimes be too much to handle. 

Stress busters for the holiday to the rescue. 

Meditation has been around for thousands of years and eases the characteristics of stress.  I keep running into people that say they don’t know how to meditate and also do not have time to mediate.  Actually you do know how to do both.

The time it takes to shift into a day dream is the time it takes to mediate.  We quiet our thoughts, take deep breaths and relax some of the muscles we have turned into rocks especially around our neck and shoulders.

Meditation and relaxing does not have to take a long time; you do not need a special room or location to meditate and you don’t need any fitness clothes to do this.  One of the most frequent ways I meditate during the day is to set an alarm on my phone.  I respect the alarm and take 10 – 15 minutes of doing nothing in my chair.  I breathe deeply, see where I feel tense and relax that area of my body and then a second alarm goes off to let me know the time has passed.

Do not tell me you don’t have 10 minutes two to three times a day to just stop what you are doing to breathe and relax a bit.

If you can’t find a quite spot to meditate, then just get up from your chair and stretch.  Hands high in the air, lean over and touch your toes, rub your neck and shoulder and concentrate on relaxing your jaw and face.  Breathe, relax, rub, stretch.  2 minutes and you will feel like a new person. 

Stretch.  Breathe.  Rub your neck and shoulders.  Relax your jaw and face.  Meditate for 10-15 minutes.  Breathe. 

And don’t forget to drink some delicious water and hydrate that terrific body and mind of yours.

Happy Holidays.  I mean it!  Happy Holidays.