Finding Calm During The Holidays

The holiday season brings on anticipations of happiness and joy. It is a time to be with family and friends. We experience a little lighter feelings of kindness. Homes and businesses exhibit decorations reserved only for November and December, This is time to celebrate!

But, this time of year can also bring a little bit of anxiety. Who an I kidding? The holidays are wrought with anxieties and worry! If you are an adult, frustrations abound during these months! From the gifts we give to the decorations and food we prepare, we seem to second guess ourselves more during these months. Our calendars are busier that other months. We can feel the stress of trying to "just get it all done".

Let's take a step back this year. Let's take some time to help us manage the angst and find the calm we are supposed to feel.

The practice of yoga has a magical affect of the human mind. As the brain bounces about from one thought to the other we can lose sight of the fact that we are the masters of our mind. We can control these thoughts the pervade our consciousness. We just have to take the necessary steps to do just that. Meditation and breath work are the keys to this control.

I know....Who has time to meditate??? How does one meditate??? I invite you to try this...

Find a brief moment perhaps before you start the day or before you turn on your computer. Sit tall in your chair. Place both feet on the ground, feel the earth your feet are touching. Roll your shoulders down the back, bringing the shoulder blades down. Relax the jaw. Gently close your eyes and feel your lungs expand on your inhale. Then exhale and feel the lungs retract. Do this a few times. Now deepen the inhale through the nose, and on the exhale gently sigh the air out through the mouth. Try it again, maybe one more time. Now, gently open the eyes and begin your work. Managing your nerves can be as simple as that.

If that felt good, I invite you to find time for a yoga class.