Season Of Giving: Season Of Self-care
In the season of giving, many put pressure on themselves to accomplish the to-do-list, ramping up for the commitments and events of the holidays, shopping and volunteering, and more. In order to give the best version of ourselves, practicing self-care on a daily and weekly basis is the foundation for the well-being of ourselves and our relationships. The old saying goes: “One cannot give from an empty bucket”. We must rest, replenish, and nurture ourselves consistently.
Otherwise, the stress of the holidays and even, daily life, can weaken us physical, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. The term “burn-out” comes from the idea of being in constant fight-flight-freeze mode of survival, which impedes our ability to thrive in the flow of life. Learning to flow with the ups-and downs of life with foundational self-care habits enables us to give our loved ones the greatest gift we can gift: ourselves in health, happiness, and contentment.
Here are 3 ways for the Season of Self-Care
Rest: The only way for the body to rejuvenate and heal itself is through the practice of rest. There are many ways to allow a period of rest within our daily schedule: meditation, screen-free time, time of solitude, and sleep. It may seem counter-intuitive in our culture of success and to-do list; but making time for rest will be us be more productive, have more energy, and more focused and centered.
Meditation Practice: Dedicating 5-10 minutes in the morning and evening will change your perspective in many ways. Meditation helps us rewire and create new neural connects in our brain. Basically, we can rewire our brains for the better and meditation is a great way to do so. Download a meditation app for beginners, or create a file for meditation videos on YouTube.
Screen-free time: Dedicate a couple of hours a day, or one day per week, as screen-free time. Screen-free time means no exposure to screens such as phones off, no TV, no tablets, and no computers. Instead, screen-time allows time for quiet, contemplation, one-one family and bonding time, hands-on project time, and cook some holiday desserts with music! It is best to allow at least 30 minutes to 1 hour of screen-free time before bedtime as the blue-light from the screen will mess up with sleep and the inner clock known as the circadian rhythm.
Sleep: we all know the importance of sleep. 6-8 Hours of uninterupted sleep per night is needed. If one has young children, or a newborn; then, day time naps are best! “Rest when the baby rest” is so true and the dishes are not going anywhere. Trust me, if I can figure a way to have them wash themselves-I will let you know!
Replenish: Ways to replenish ourselves differ from one person to another. Give yourself a gift such as acupuncture, massage, chiropractic adjustment, date night with yourself to the movies (you would be surprised), read your favorite book, going hiking, or have a lunch at your favorite cafe. These acts of self-care will increase one’s sense of care and rejuvenate your well-being. These practices can done once a month/week/day depending on your need and life-style.
Nourish: Nourishing the body through food, breath, and drinks. There are many opportunities during the day to nourish our bodies through our breathing, eating, and drinking habits.
Breathing Basics: Inhale for a count of 5-seconds, hold breath for 5 seconds, and exhale for 5 seconds. Repeat for 3-5 minutes for a few times a day.
Drinking around meals: avoid drinking liquids 30 minutes before and after a meal to optimize digestion.
Enjoy warm beverages: hot tea (peppermint, ginger, chamomile, anise star seed, chai, earl grey, etc…), hot apple cidar, egg nog with cinnamon, hot chocolate with kava kava root.
Alcohol & Depression: Alcohol is a natural depressant, which would make depression symptoms worst. Try the hot beverages above in place of alcohol.
Boundaries: Learning to say “No” till one wants to truly and authentically say “Yes” will help avoid commitments made out of obligation, shame, guilt, and will decrease frustration during the holidays. To learn more about Boundaries; we will talk more about “Boundaries, Self, & Immune Health” in our next blog.
May this self-care guide gently remind you to rest, replenish, and nourish during this holiday season!
All the Best!
Danielle Dickshinski, L.Ac.