It is only a few days after Halloween and the Christmas decorations have already hit the shelves and front displays of stores. Seeing a Christmas tree in a store window this Halloween made me think of how easy it is to live our lives in full-throttle future mode. The, “What am I going to do next”, instead of enjoying and marinating in the current moment of now. As the leaves fall, the days get shorter and the temperature begins to drop we begin to anticipate the holiday season ahead and all that means emotionally, mentally and physically. Overwhelm created by a growing to-do list can leave you frazzled and stressed. Thanksgiving flows into a whirlwind of holiday festivities, which can pack on the pounds from unhealthy party fare. Late nights, holiday shopping, decorations and cards that need to be sent, can leave you exhausted and weary. It is important to look at ways to tame tension, overcome overwhelm, and put perspective back into a season that was designed to celebrate love, hope and joy.
After a long run last week I was enjoying contemplative time on my back deck. I noticed that there was an unusual cacophony of sound all around me. Typically in the early morning hours it is a quiet and serene space where you can hear the rustle of squirrels in the leaves, and the symphony of birds calling to one another. But, on this particular morning, I could hear a variety of construction sounds from heavy trucks buzzing, jackhammers drumming and voices shouting to one another. Initially I was annoyed that my peaceful morning ritual was disturbed from the intrusion of harsh sounds. Then I realized; this situation was similar to the reality of life in today’s day and age. We are constantly bombarded by influences outside of ourselves vying for our attention. One minute we are doing one thing, and in the next moment we are distracted by something else. This scattered energy leads to overwhelm and anxiety. As I sat contemplating the sounds around me, I realized that I could place my attention on the singing of one or two lovely birds, and my centered concentration allowed the other sounds to dissipate into the background. This dissolved my frustration and angst and brought me back into a grounded state of harmony. The next time you are feeling overcome by overwhelm remove the superfluous distractions and focus in on what is really important. This will help you move with ease and grace during this season of over-stimulation, to-dos, and anxiety.
One way to overcome overwhelm is to prioritize the tasks ahead. The most effective way to do this is to take a moment and put pen to paper and create a list of all the to-dos that need to be accomplished in the days to come. Prioritize and create deadlines for each task. This will help you to focus and stay on track. It will also ease the worry associated with not knowing whether you have enough time or days to complete what needs to be done. You will be able to see what is essential to be done, when to do it and have the ability to cross it off the list when it is completed. This will motivate you to stay on course and eliminate the anxiety and overwhelm.
If the anxiety and stress don’t have you running to the cookie drawer, holiday gatherings filled with fat laden hors d’oeuvres and calorie dense cocktails can have the button pop off your pants or the cute little dress feel a bit too snug. It is important to balance those fun festivities with healthy, nutrient dense eating during the less social times. Everything in moderation is key. But, when you do overindulge (and we all do it from time to time) give yourself a break and jump back on the healthy eating train.
Speaking of jumping, it helps to balance out the extra calories with more movement. A college friend and I met for dinner on a recent excursion to New York City. She is an avid fitness guru and over dinner we were discussing different types of exercises that benefit the body. She was trying to convince me that I should take up jumping rope because it gives you the most benefit in the least amount of time. Between giggles we both came to the conclusion that I might need to leave the jump rope aside and stick to running, paddle boards and yoga after our memories were prodded and we remembered a time when I fell off a step in a step class (I admit that I am not the most fleet of foot).
Regardless, as long as you are moving in some way, this will stimulate your metabolism, sweat out toxins and help to avoid some of the weight gain that can accompany the holiday season. If all else fails, you are welcome to join me for my January Fresh Start Wellness & Detox Program where I will help you Remove toxins and inflammation from overindulgence, Restore your body to its optimal vitality, Release extra weight naturally, and Rejuvenate your body, mind & spirit that can become easily depleted during the holiday frenzy!
I know that you have just put away the orange and black decorations, and it is hard to fathom a discussion related to the red, green, silver & blue decorations to come. But, as you will see when you head to the mall, or go online to an Internet retailer the holidays are just around the corner and it is better to be prepared to meet the challenges that this season can bring with a plan of prepared action which will help to tame the tension, overcome the overwhelm and enjoy the splendor of this season of love.
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**Special Note: “Thank you to the Joene’s Garden Blog for the Holly Berry picture in Fall!”
Happy Soaring!
XOXO
