HEALTHY LIFESTYLE Staying Grounded During the Holi-daze

Yoga with Heidi Pfleger

December is a bit of a ‘daze’ for many of us. There is so much to do and it is easy to get overwhelmed by all of it. We get so caught up in thinking about what Christmas Day will (or should) be like that we forget about being in the present moment Even when we do manage to be ‘in the moment,’ the fewer hours of daylight, unpredictable weather, and social events filled with food and drink we don’t normally consume leave us feeling off balance and stressed.

Here are a few tips to help get you through the Holi-daze:

1. Create a Plan – Set aside an hour or two to map out what needs to be done as well as how and when it will be done. Managing your time, pace and energy can be very grounding. Be realistic when blocking off chunks of time to do things that need to be done (ie shopping, baking, gift wrapping, house cleaning and decorating, etc ) Using a checklist format and allocating some blocks of time for unanticipated situations will create a level of comfort and assurance in knowing that you will be able to get things done in a more calm and relaxed manner. The second part of this tip is, of course, to make sure you follow your plan!

2. Prioritize Yourself and your Time – I once read a quote to the effect of, “Take time to visit with yourself every day.” I think this is brilliant advice and I make a point to visit with myself every day. I hope you start to do so too. As you create your “Holi-daze” plan, make sure you allocate time that is just for you and commit to honouring yourself by using that time Whether it be an evening to yourself or just half an hour to do something that you enjoy, making time for your own personal ‘time outs’is a great way to honour and nurture yourself as well as recharge

3. Connect with your Breath - Taking time to pay attention to how you are inhaling and exhaling is a great way to ‘visit with yourself’ and bring yourself into the present moment. This can be done at any point during the day If you find yourself standing in a line, sitting in traffic, or in some other situation that leaves you feeling stressed, tune in to your breath. That simple awareness will help to bring your breathing into a more balanced and grounding rhythm Better yet, make a point to sit quietly and observe your breath throughout the day and, if you have the time (allocate it in your plan), do a daily five-minute meditation or body scan to further connect with yourself, These practices will help you feel more calm and grounded.

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