The holidays are rapidly approaching, and in the spirit of being able to enjoy the holidays, and making it through without any hitches, I have decided to make November and December the month where HaleMom.Com will provide “Hale Holiday Habits” everyday until the end of the holidays, which will be on January 1st.
I believe on passing on good habits, and helping others develop and/or maintain healthy habits. Sometimes we all just need a little motivation and support, so this is what inspired me to start this holiday series.
Throughout the holidays, I will have guest writers, how-to videos, and many more treats! Stay tuned to for daily tips on ways to make your holidays hearty and hale!
For today’s “Hale Holiday Habit,” we’re going to focus on relaxation! A pretty broad term, but we’re going to take an in depth look. I suppose there are different ways to relax, and what works for someone may not work for someone else, but these are tips that work for me:
- Turn off all noise making devices, or at least go where there is minimal amount of noise, and take at least 15-30 minutes to yourself. I understand we’re all moms and have tons of things to do, but you also have to remember yourself and have someone else handle things, if even for just a few minutes. I find that the TV and electronic devices can be a source of distraction, frustration, and confusion, but I know that some people like to sit in front of the TV after a long day at work and maybe zone out or enjoy their favorite shows, and that’s OK, but you owe yourself quiet time from the constant barrage of advertising, and to gather your thoughts without outside influence. It doesn’t matter when or where you take your quiet time, but take quiet time and enjoy every second of it. Even better, take quiet time with your children, and do it EVERYDAY; it’s a good way to help instill a good habit in your children, and the earlier you start the better. A good way to start is telling your kids it’s the quiet game, and whoever wins, gets a treat. After all, it is a treat to have quiet time to help everyone keep some sanity and organize thoughts, especially during the chaos that happens during holidays.
- Treat yourself, but try not to overindulge. Your treat doesn’t have to be big, extensive or bad for you. Make a healthy dessert, have your significant other do the dishes, or do something special for you, take time with a special friend, or be creative with your treat, but do treat yourself, and appreciate all the work that you’ve done. During the holidays there are all sorts of errands to run, things to do, and get-togethers to plan, but take the time to reward yourself for the hard work you put forth, and be proud!
- Be grateful. Take time everyday to be grateful for the things that you are blessed with. You could very easily be a person living in a third-world country and not have the luxuries that we tend to take for granted, like the holidays. Be grateful that you are blessed with a family and all the things in between. It’s amazing how relaxing and re-energizing a bit of gratitude can be to your heart, and to the overall morale of your family.
- Live in the moment. Nothing beats a spur of the moment event where you can let your hair down and finally enjoy yourself without having to worry about how the end result will be. You’ll find yourself giggling with joy, and it will make the bond of your family that much tighter.
- Exercise. A great way to release the stress hormones is to walk it off, or exercise. You can do yoga, take a jog, take a walk, run on the treadmill, or whatever heart pumping activity you enjoy. Eventually you’ll find that you’re losing weight, feeling great, and have a new zest for life; a great way to combat the trials that happen during the holidays.
- Don’t sweat the small things! I know everyone has their pet peeves, and I have many, but one thing I’ve learned being married to my wonderful husband is that you can’t sweat all the things that might bother you and get your feathers ruffled. Most of us have an idea of how we want our plans to work out, but don’t get upset if things don’t turn out your way, especially during the holidays.
- Plan for the worst. I know it sounds bad, but when you prepare for the worst case scenario, you always end up satisfied because things didn’t go as bad as you thought they could have. I find that being prepared for the worst case will always give you thumbs up with those that you’ve surrounded yourself with because you saved someone the grief of having to make last minute trips to the store, or whatever the case may be.
Yes, there are many other ways to relax, so I’d definitely like to hear what HaleMom readers do to relax and make their holidays go smoother. (I love comments!)
Here’s to a hearty and hale holidays!
~Hale Mom
