Keeping Holiday Stress at Bay

‘Tis the season to be jolly…or so goes the famous Christmas song! While the holidays can inspire feelings of joy and merriment, for some this time of year can also be full of pressure and stress. If you are the kind of person that can get easily overwhelmed by crowded shopping malls, out of town visitors, and trying to prepare the perfect meal, you are not alone! But luckily for us, there are some steps we can take to cultivate an inner peace and to help us stay grounded even when the self-checkout at Target stops working or “grandma’s famous gravy” turns out lumpy.

By now many in our community have probably heard how beneficial meditation can be. Whether it is practiced to improve attention and focus or to help us control our emotions and relieve anxiety, mediation produces true, measurable benefits (and can even help us keep our cool when that gift we ordered online doesn’t show up in time!). The beauty of meditation is that it can be used by anyone, anywhere! If you are new to meditation and need help getting started, there are dozens of apps you can use or articles you can read that will help you build a practice in no time at all. If you prefer the help of an expert or want to meditate with other like-minded friends, you can also check out https://kelsadebrabant.com/. Kelsa is an amazing meditation teacher and mindful practitioner that leads sessions right here in Scarsdale!

Yes, it may sound cliche…but really, remember to take care of yourself! It’s hard to stay “jolly” when our tanks are running on empty! Maybe you like to exercise to keep the stress at bay or maybe you need to soak in the bath with a good book, whatever little acts of self-care might help, remember to build time into each day to recharge your batteries! And if you are in need of a little deeper healing, don’t hesitate to treat yourself to a massage or maybe even a healing sound bath. If you haven’t experienced the wonder of a sound bath, check out https://www.sshealing.com/. Susie Sands is also a Scarsdale local and performs sound baths both in person and virtually.

This last tip can be a little tricky, especially in a world that feels so topsy-turvy, but focusing on the positives has proven to be a successful tool in helping to improve one’s mood and well-being. One easy way to focus on all of the good things that we are surrounded by is to engage in the practice of gratitude. When we practice gratitude, we actively look for things in our lives to be thankful for and it can be as easy as saying what you feel grateful for before dinner each night. Other easy ways to practice gratitude include: writing down three things you feel grateful for in a journal before bed each night, writing thank you notes, or sitting in nature for a few moments while trying to focus your attention on all of the blessings our lives are filled with. Focusing on the positive doesn’t mean that we negate hardships or feelings of sadness or frustration, it just means that we take time each day to remind ourselves and refocus our attention on all of the good that is out there too.

Whether you are a person that lives for the magic of this season, or you are someone who might need these tips and tools to help keep stress at bay, we hope your holidays are filled with light, love, and laughter.