H E A LT H Y Y O U
Breathe Life Into the Holiday Season
STORY MICHELLE JOHNS
MA, LPC-MHSP (TEMP), NCC, 200 HR E-RTY, 500 HR RYT
in a few
short weeks the year 2021 will come to a close. As we race to the finish line with a myriad of internal and external experiences, it is helpful to take a moment and breathe through the last-minute hustle. Below are a few common holiday stress busters. With a little bit of strategy and self-care, you can end the year on a peaceful note.
1. Breathe. I know, “just breathe” is a cliché we hear too often. Nonetheless, biological science supports the ability of our breath to help us selfregulate stress hormones. The tenth cranial nerve, with roots at the base of the brain (the body’s sensation center) runs through the entire body. When you stop, become still and breathe, you calm your nervous system and soften stress-related tension. •
Stop.
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Be still.
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Breathe in through your nose and out through your nose with calm, steady ease.
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Take deep breaths but not big breaths. Big breaths create excitement and can make you anxious. Deep breaths in slowly through your nose into the depths of your belly and slowly out through your nose are the breaths that destress your body and mind.
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Try to give yourself two minutes of solitude and stillness with your breath.
76 | At Home Memphis & Mid South • December 2021
2. Stop and assess. Decorating, shopping, baking, wrapping, parties, socials, etc. There is so much to do and often it feels like there is not enough of you to make it all happen the way you’d like. It can be overwhelming and zap the joy from your soul. •
Make lists for the things you need to do. Categorize your to-do list. For example, make a list of gifts you need to buy, baking, parties, etc. Sub-list the things you need to do to complete the tasks on the list.
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Review your list. Give yourself permission to eliminate unnecessary items, perhaps those that create more stress than joy.
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Remember, sometimes “good enough” ends up being the “GOAT” (greatest of all time).
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Ask for help when you need it. It’s fun to include your support team in your tasks. The key phrase here is support team. Ask those who support you to help you.
3. Minimize your time on social media. Social media is like a highlight reel of all the perfect things: perfect smiles, perfect families, perfect experiences. It can bring you joy as you celebrate with others or stir you into a state of distress as you compare your life to those you see on screen. If you are stressed, social media may not be the best place for you to spend time. Instead invest in the moments of your real life.
