How to relieve stress during this Holiday season

As magic as they want us to believe this season is...  it is much more than magic!!!  It can actually be quite stressful!  I have rarely heard anyone talk about how magical their holidays were... but rather how busy, demanding, stressful it was...  but it doesn't have to be like that!  It actually CAN be magical!!! Whether you've been a minimalist for a short or long period... or are not even a minimalist, there are steps you can take to make this few upcoming weeks more enjoyable...

1) Clean up you calendar.  More often than not, we are booked day in day out... from morning to late evening...  Clean up some stuff... I am sure not 100% of those planned activities/events REALLY do appeal to you... Be honest with yourself...  what is not appealing is OUT!!!  It is that simple!

2) Make quality time for yourself. Even more in that busy period filled with expectations and "need to look good/interesting/fabulous/etc..." feelings, you need time alone...  quiet time alone... doing something YOU enjoy!  Take a bath... go to a spa...  read you favorite book...  watch your favorite movie... go for a walk in the snow (or not if where you're reading me from doesn't have snow!)... and if what you love is getting your hair/nails done or shopping, please try and figure out something else! You need ME time... not me time in between crazy busy people!

3) Make quality time with your spouse/kids. There is no homework, no lunches... take this time to do what your kids love to do... crafts... take some fresh air... try something new...  just have fun...  be creative

4) Go to bed early and wake up early. It is amazing the benefit you get from getting out of bed before anyone else in your home...  you can take this time to write, meditate, just stare at the sunrise...prepare a nice breakfast for your loved ones... or read the newspaper quietly...  It is like free me time!

5) Eat/Drink reasonably.  I am all for enjoying this period... indulging a little...  but a little is the key word..  if not the next day you'll feel crappie and be upset at yourself... what good does that do?

6) Keep you yoga/meditation/exercise routine as much as possible... this is what will allow you to "recenter" yourself, evacuate any toxins or stress on a regular basis to avoid build ups!

7) Spend only what you have.  This is a time of the year where it is soooo easy to overspend!  Try and avoid it!  You will then not loose countless nights of sleep trying to figure out how to pay the bills.

Basically, this is it... it is not that complicated to get out of this Holiday season without needing months of therapy...  or months to pay off you debts...  I started using those tricks a few years ago and as time passes by, I am actually looking forward this season as it is filled with time for myself, time spent with my son and husband...  relaxing in this crazy winter we have here in Montreal...  time doing stuff we love... rather then stuff we feel oblige too....  At first I was wondering "but what will people say?"... and you know what?  who cares... it is not "people" who have to deal with your stress in January... YOU have to do it... and even better...  those who truly care and love you will understand... and might actually feel compelled to do the same...  You have all year long to meet people you love... why cram everything in one week???

love&peace,
nath
xox
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Stress management post #2

Welcome to the second part of the stress management series....

I am sorry that I missed Friday's post... I had to manage stress and cut some stuff off of my too busy schedule!

On the first post, I talked about how to live a stress free life...  In order for you body to be able to deal with stress more easily, it needs to be top shape!!!  Kind of like if you want to run your car at 140 km/h (not that I would suggest you do that but....) it needs to be well tuned up!!!  Well same goes for you body and mind!  If you want to take up more than you should (or more than you can), you need to be well tuned up too!!!

That means, taking care of the food you put into your body (preferably plant based and organic), you need to exercise (in moderation) and sleep well!!!

Now that you've had the time to adapt those 3 elements of your life, you're ready for the next part...

Music, laughing and finding your personal space

Music

Music is a well know technique to deal with stress. It has been used for the longest time all around the world!  Of course the obvious is to go with relaxing music...  Soft music with instruments...  nature sounds like waves, wind, rain, bird singing... the sound of bells... but basically any music CAN be relaxing if it works for YOU!!!  I like those types of music... or yoga music or meditation music but not everyone does... so it can actually get on the nerve of someone who does not like them!    The key if to find the music that relaxes you...  be it jazz, pop. rock, classic or whatever music there is out there!  It has to speak to you!  and bring you to a state where you "forget" what stresses you out! Of course, this doesn't SOLVE anything...  it's like a band aid but we all need a band aid sometimes! (for resolving your stress, go to the root of it, we'll address that later on)

Another option is to sing!!! Sing while you;re stuck in traffic!  Sing in the shower!!!  It is said that people who sing in the shower are actually much less stress than people who don't!

You can also play an instrument....  you do not have to be good at it!!!  Just ENJOY it!!!

Laughing

Why do you think there are so many "funny" shows out there?  so many comedians?  so many comedies at the movie theater???  How many times in a week can you find "America's funniest home video" or something similar schedule on TV?People need to laugh!  Laughing releases endorphins which are our natural opiates and have the ability to produce analgesia and a sentiment of well being.
People are naturally looking for something funny when they are stressed... you body knows that laughing is good for you in moment of crisis!  Our society is more stressed than ever before in the story of humanity (obviously, I am not talking here of time of wars).  We need to be able to relax and laughing does a great job!  Plus laughing with people multiply the effects of a good laugh! And brings us closer to those people we are laughing with!

Your personal space 

Now is there a place that you can go to and feel relaxed almost instantly?  It can be anywhere...  On our boat, in the woods, on the top of a mountain, by the ocean, in your bedroom, taking a bath, at the spa, cooking,  in your garage...  anywhere will work! 
Now you need to think of that space and figure out what feels so good about it!  Think of your 5 senses and see what happens!  What do you see in that place?  What do you hear? What does it smell like? Is there a taste to it (if applicable)? What is the feeling on the skin (for ex sun rays, sand or warm blanket)? Now you need to practice having those feelings without going to that place physically...  you need to go there mentally... 
Obviously, you can't run to Dominican Republic or to you fishing boat every time something happens... but you can go there mentally and it will help you relax!!! 
Once you master the art of going to that special place only mentally, this place is with you at all time!!  Accessible!!! No one can prevent you from going there!
It does take practice.. but it is worthwhile! 
Once you master it, when a stressful event happens, you can take a few seconds, close your eyes, breathe and visit your space!  You will immediately feel better!!!

Those 3 tools are not that difficult to integrate to your life...
You can laugh anywhere....  you can listen to music anywhere - it is all so handy now with smart phones and computer that we all have access to so easily!  Just go out for a walk and there is music...  the wind, the birds, the kids playing...
But if all else fails, you do not have an iPhone or a computer with you...  the "music" outside is more likely to be a train going by and cars...  you can always go to your special place!! That is yours...  at all time.. and FREE!!!

What about you?  What do you do in times of stress?

love and peace,
nathalie
xox
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Stress management post

Hopefully you guys do not look anything like the woman above... or her male version!!!
In case you do... please keep on reading... it will be time well invested!!!!
In case you don't... well, keep on reading anyway....  stress management techniques are always good to be remembered!!!  (to avoid looking like this poor woman!!!)

The first step to manage stress is to create a well balanced lifestyle!

3 essentials components to us, human being, are:

(no they are not money, huge house an expensive car!!!  Surprised? Well if you've been reading me for a while you shouldn't be... )

Food
Exercise
Sleep

In order to be able to manage stress, live a healthy and meaningful life, those 3 components need to be well managed!!!

Food:

You should eat healthy food...  Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds.  In those, you can find all the nutriments your body needs...  vitamins, minerals, fibers, protein, anti-oxidants... without the refine sugars or flour, or the added fat.

Your food should be eaten as closely as possible to it's natural state - not processed or coming from a can or a box!

You should eat when you're hungry!  Not because it is lunch time or every one else is...

Eating should be an activity in itself... not in conjunction with...

You should always stop eating before feeling full or stuffed up!

You should chew your food - digestion process starts in your mouth with your saliva!

You should take 20 min to eat... this is the time it takes for your stomach to tell your brain it full... if you eat large amount of food quickly, the message does not have time to go thru and you overeat!

You should eat smaller meal but more often - your stomach is no bigger then your fist!

Take the time to TASTE your food...  not salt, not sugar, not fat...  the actual food...  there's a bunch of flavor out there but most food is so salted, sugary or fat that they all taste the same!  Give practice to your taste buds  so they can learn to enjoy healthy natural food!!!

This is the basic of eating.... practice it and let me know what happens...

Exercise:

Not talking about getting ready for a triathlon... or the Olympics... just get yourself moving...
You do not NEED an athlete's body...

The recommended amount of exercise to be healthy is 30 minutes per day or 1h 3 times a week...  of any activity you like!!!  Just take your body off the couch, away from TV or computer!!!  Get this heart pumping a little!

P.S. If you haven't exercise in a while, go get some professional opinion before starting - be it an instructor, a doctor...

Anything you do in the course of the week adds up...  You can go up the stairs instead of using the escalator or elevator... you can take a walk at lunch...  go for a walk after supper... play with your kids outside... throw a ball... go for a bike ride... bike to work... or get off the bus one stop earlier and walk...  park your car at the other end of the parking lot... or one street away from your destination... join a gym... a yoga class...  a team sport with other adults...  swim... walk... bike...

The best exercises, done in moderation, that do not harm your body are walking, biking, swimming and yoga... all these with common sense and moderation...

Start moving!!!!  Now is as good a time as ever!!!
You will have a better relation with you spouse and/or kids...  get to meet new people... feel great!!! look good!!!  and add years to your lifespan!!!

Sleep: 

Did you know that the average human being needs 7h18min of sleep per night?  but only gets 6h40min...  over the course of a year this sums up to more than 200h of sleep deprivation!!!!
Sleep deprivation can cause: insomnia ( I know this sounds weird but it is true), fatigue, memory loss, stress, depression, diabetes, obesity, hearth problems and digestive problems.

Your body NEEDS sleep to repair itself!!!  If you do not sleep enough it cannot do it! Over the course of months or years, damages adds up!!! 

Must I say it again.. you need to sleep..  you will not do more in the course of a day if you sleep only 4 hours because you will not be productive!!! 

It may seem counter intuitive, but by sleeping more, you have less hours during the day to do stuff... but you end up doing WAY more!!!  Because you are focus...  concentrated... and can think straight!

If you are sleep deprive, go back to a regular night of sleep by slowly incrementing by 5-10 minutes every other night your sleep time...  Do not go from 4h to 7h in one night!  It will probably not work!!! And you will stress because you will not be able to do all you're suppose to do!!!

In order to go to bed and fall asleep right away... create a ROUTINE... like we do with kids!  Go to bed at the same time each day... take a warm bath or shower right before... listen to some quiet music.. read... whatever works for you but be consistent!!!

Your bedroom is for sleeping purposes only! OK, there might be one exception to that rule - using your lab top, cell phone, iPad or watching TV is NOT one of them! ;-)

Do not eat a few hours before sleep - if your body is busy digesting, it will be hard putting it to sleep

SUMMARY:

In order to be able to manage stress, you need to watch what you eat, exercise and sleep well... this is the bare minimum...  you body cannot deal with stress if it is over used or misused!!! 

Be NICE to yourself...  protect your body - you have only one and it should last for 120 years supposedly!!!

If you need to make some changes SMALL STEPS is the key!!! DO not try to change everything at once! It may drive you nuts and you will go back to your old pattern in no time!

do not hesitate if you have any questions to ask them in the comment section!

have a lovely stress free week end!
love and peace,
nath
xox