With the holiday season quickly approaching us, we are reminded of all the joy, good times with family and friends, but most importantly stress of a busy schedule. Here are four tips to help you move through the holidays being mindful and grateful.
- Put on your Gratitude glasses and see things from a different perspective
- Gratitude changes your perception of events and when practiced regularly can change your day to day outlook. We know that stress is in the eye of the beholder so make your eye a grateful one and experience less stress. Gratitude can help us rediscover the “hidden gems” that may actually be in plain sight all along. The beauty of the tree branches on the way to work, the warmth from your house after coming in from the cold, a hug given or received all can be overlooked if we aren’t focused on gratitude.
- Move mindfully
- As you move through the holidays, treat the journey as a walking, sitting or driving meditation. Look at the lights, listen to the sounds, feel the air and notice the smells. Keep a mindful pace by being in the moment as you move.
- Notice the joy
- Look for and pay attention to the joy that is the welcoming of the holidays. If you're not finding any, why not create some for others? You're bound to see it then.
- Stop and observe yourself
- When you are feeling stress or your mind is on overdrive, the first thing you can do is to NOTICE how you are feeling without any judgement. Now choose, what are you going to do next? Continue as you were, or adjust? Relax your shoulders, lengthen your exhale, relax your jaw and choose a different outlook to go forward. (“Everything important will get done.” “One thing at a time.”)
Being mindful can help make the holidays joyful and memorable for all. To learn more about mindfulness call Park City Hospital’s LiVe Well Center at 435.333.3535 to schedule an appointment with Anne McDevitt-Cummins, Certified Wellness Coach.