Stress, Boundaries and decisions

Teaching yoga this morning, I spoke to my students about the importance of being prepared for the upcoming holidays. Right away everyone shook their heads, rolled their eyes and mumbled about shopping, traffic and other more or less, negative things to expect. I get it. Those things are definitely going to be a factor of holiday time. 

But what I had in mind, was more about how to prepare yourself for the chaos that can arise when you don't consider your own boundaries, listening to your intuition and maintaining your self care practices during the holidays. Example here - You get invited to holiday parties at this time of year right? Sometimes that can mean excessive eating. Excessive drinking. Not getting enough sleep. And yes, even buying one too many pairs of new shoes to go with those new holiday dresses… so your credit card starts smoking. So now what's going on in your head? Never mind how you are physically feeling…

Now, I'm certainly not saying that the holidays are not a time for fun. Being with loved ones, friends, family and sharing good times while making memories are all important. The thing to always remember is, at what cost… and I'm not talking dollars necessarily. Your physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing should always be at the top of your shopping list. Sometimes that may mean, stopping a minute before making any real commitment, and taking a deep breath to really think about your decisions - will baking those 5 dozen cookies for the community bake sale this week totally stress you out? Or will deciding to have that last minute holiday party at your house (which would then need to be cleaned from top to bottom before you let anyone in the front door) be a huge mistake?

Maybe you're saying “I work well under stress." I say “Why would you want to work under stress?" Sure it's a motivator but overtime, stress wreaks havoc on your central nervous system causing a breakdown of balance within your body. Don't really want to get into medical stuff right now but there is plenty to talk about regarding the pro's of stress on productivity and con's of stress on the nervous system. 

My message to my students today and to you is really about self care as the holidays come crashing into daily life. How to find a moment's peace. How to make wise decisions. How to enjoy still yourself. It all begins with you. Listening to your intuition and keeping your boundaries. Keeping yourself healthy (physically & emotionally) and happy are crucial. You can do it.    

Stop.    Take a deep breath.    Hold it.    Sigh it out.    Listen to your heart.    Do it again if you have to.    Then hear what it tells you.     Make your decision.