Today’s episode is going to be very short and sweet. With Christmas being tomorrow and the new year slowly approaching, I thought it would be a great time to talk about rest. I think it’s safe to say that this year has been A LOT with a capital A LOT, there have been many wins and many losses for everyone.
This year has had a range of emotions: it’s made us think, grow, adapt, accept, converse, change, etc etc Maybe you haven’t given yourself the time to reflect. Maybe you haven’t had a single day off all year and are craving some sort of pause. I’m here to help YOU find a smoother way of resting. A gift from you to you if you will. The holidays can be very stressful or something you really look forward to.
Either way, I am a true believer that our lives are worthy of full attention. That are feelings are meant to be felt and honored, no matter how you classify that feeling. They matter. I’m also a true believer in recharging and making space for rest and for healing. It helps us be aware of special moments in our lives, in order not to miss out, we have to learn to stop and give ourselves permission to slow down, reconnect, look forward and just be. With that said, I wanted to share 5 ways you can rest this holiday season without making rest another one of your to-dos.
Shower / Bathe: yup you heard that right. I mean we all have to shower every day, right? Right? So why not make it a moment for you every so often. Buy a nice soap, pamper yourself, take extra time, whatever you gotta do, but showering makes you feel better and in turn will help you relax, especially after a full day of work.
Disconnect From Tech: especially at night (at least 2 hours before bed) try to disconnect and read a book instead or talk to a friend, or write about your day. Anything but looking at a screen. Write: another personal favorite. Writing it all out. Leaving it all on the page. One of my favorite authors, Gabby Bernstein, calls it “rage on the page”. I write it and I release it. How did you feel today? What do you hope to do tomorrow that you didn’t get to do today? Focus on you before sleeping instead of focusing on the scroll.
Walk / Breathe: my personal favorite. I’ve been doing this thing lately where while I’m on the walk, I talk to myself. Honestly much easier this year because the mask has helped me be more discreet with that. But I walk and I talk about anything and everything, to myself. Things I want to become real, things I want to let go of, anything that pains me or that brings me lots of joy. I let it all out during my walk. I feel so much lighter at the end and it’s really helped me let go of a lot of thoughts I feel the need to control. If you don’t have time to walk, try this breathing technique where you breathe in for 5 breaths, hold for 5 breaths, and then breath out for 5 breaths. The idea is to release tension and feel better.
Pour Into Your Hobby: do you love to cook? Are you a great dancer? Take the time to spend at least 1 hour on your hobby. If you’re like me, I love to cook. I sometimes follow a recipe but most times follow my gut. It’s great way for me to get creative without having my business in mind. Often times, because I’m focused on something completely different, I get inspired with new ideas.
Just Be: the most important one - JUST BE. Don’t plan anything. Don’t try to accomplish anything. Take it as 24 hours for you. See how you wake up and what you want to do. If you come home overwhelmed, accept your feelings. It seems like a weird form of relaxation but if you think about it, accepting takes the pressure off! It often times is the best way to get clear on the answers you need!