5 Ways to Destress this Holiday Season

Let’s face it the holidays can be stressful.

Between finishing up year end at work, juggling holiday gathering, family, and loads of expectations it’s a lot!

To help you find some balance this holiday season, I’m sharing 5 ways you can destress over the next few weeks!

1. Talk a walk. This one is especially great when you have family or friends over and you need a little reset. Just excuse yourself and get some fresh air. The sun on your face, the fresh (hopefully crisp) air will do a world of good for your mental health.

2. Meditate. You’ve heard me talk endlessly about the benefits of meditation…and this is the time we ALL need to meditate. Breathe it all in, let it all go.

3. Movement. Move your body in some way every single day. This not only will help you sweat out the holiday cocktails from the office Christmas party, but will help you reset and reframe your mind and allow you to really enjoy this season.

4. Let go of expectations. People love to transfer their expectations onto you, especially this time of year. Let that shit go. It’s not yours. You only have to live up to your expectations for yourself, no one else’s (that includes your parents). The holidays are such a magical time, allow yourself the chance to soak it all in and let go of anything that is not truly serving you.

5. Just say no. I’m giving you full permission to say NO this holiday season. Say no to the extra holiday party, drinks after work, the community event, a family gathering, whatever it is…if it’s not a hell yes for you, then it’s a no. Let yourself off the hook.

I’ve had the privilege to work with hundreds of clients over the years, and have seen that much of our stress stems from our desire to live up to other people’s expectations. We get so wrapped up in meeting everyone else’s expectations, going to all the parties, seeing all the family, doing all the things that we forget to meet our own expectations.

At the end of the day you have to honor yourself and do what is truly best for you.

So I encourage you this holiday season to utilize the 5 tools above to keep your stress low, let go of the expectations, and really enjoy this magical season!

Photo By Jontel Chere

6 Ways I am Finding the Calm Amid the Chaos

It’s no secret that Hurricane Ian rocked our Southwest Florida community. We have a long road to recovery and the devastation is simply heartbreaking.

There have been many times since we began prepping for Hurricane Ian’s arrival that have seemed like pure chaos. My nervous system was in constant sympathetic dominance {fight or flight} and I was having trouble regulating it and finding my calm.

Once I became aware that I was living in a sympathetic nervous system dominant state {stressed, anxious, worried..} I knew I had to use my tools to help shift myself back into a parasympathetic dominant state {rest and digest}.

The stress of hurricane clean up, the devastation left behind and the shock wasn’t leaving anytime soon, but I consciously made a choice to control what I could…and started with my breath.

Here are six ways that I am finding the calm amid the chaos

• Daily meditation

• Daily movement

• Nourishing my body with real whole foods (and yes, that powerful Lean and Green Body® triple play!)

• Fresh air, going for family walks and soaking in that vitamin D

• Journaling {and almost purging whatever is on my heart that day}

• Connecting with my community

These are just a few of the things I am doing to help me stay calm and regulate myself so that I can go out and be the best mother, wife and human for my Southwest Florida community.

Photo By Jontel Chere

At the iconic Naples Pier (pre-hurricane)

I’d love to know how you find your calm when life gets chaotic! Comment below and let me know! xx

10 of the Best Meditation Songs - Meditation Playlist

I am very dedicated to my meditation practice, and as the year goes on the stronger my practice gets. 

Check out how meditation has changed my life HERE

I thought it would be fun to share one of my favorite meditation playlists with all of you!

Inevitability - Fannie Shelton

Blunda - Astrid Alvarsson

Big Sky - Sleepy Clouds

Endless Nights - Devansh Tushar

Te Urewera - Jay Belshaw

Halvmane - Manvarv

Phaedra - Arlette Leduc

Eyes of Redemption - Dolores Fernel

Sogno Illuminum - Enchanted Feel

Ethereal - Lectus

Ready to start meditating here are 4 tips to starting your practice!

3 Things You Need to Start Meditating

I talk about my daily meditation practice frequently and how it has changed my life. I literally can not imagine my life without it anymore, my body and my mind need it. It feeds my soul in a way I can’t really put into words.

I have found that people are often intimidated to try meditating. They build up a big story around it as to why they can’t or why it won’t work for them. If you just let go of the fear, let go of the assumptions, and just sat down and tried it you may start to experience the magic.

When starting your meditation practice just start with 10 minutes per day. Now that may seem like a lot, but there are 1,440 minutes in the day…I’m sure you can find 10 minutes each day to meditate. Once you commit to a daily practice, and are feeling the results you can gradually increase. I now meditate for a minimum of 40 minutes each day, and it has changed. me.

I thought it would be fun to break down the 3 things you need to start meditating today!

The first thing you need when meditating is an open mind. Let go of preconceived ideas, thoughts, assumptions and just allow this experience to be whatever it may be. It won’t be perfect the first few times, hell it may never be perfect…and that’s totally okay. People often assume that in order to “meditate properly” you have to have a completely clear mind, false. We do not live in a society where it is easy to have a clear mind, which is why we need to meditate. Thoughts will come in, acknowledge them and then just put them to the side. You get to decide whether or not you pick up those thoughts after your practice.

The second thing you will need to begin your meditation practice is a quiet space. You can set up a quiet calm corner in your home, your office, your patio. Choose a space that is relaxing to your mind and body. It will be tough to meditate in a messy space because your mind will be thinking about cleaning instead of just being. I work with some mother’s who meditate sitting on the edge of their bathtub, or sitting up in bed. Find a space that feels good to you. I like to turn down the lights in the room to create a calm relaxing vibe, do what feels best for you.

The last thing you will need to start your meditation practice is either quiet chill meditation music or perhaps use an app for a guided meditation experience. It can be very difficult when starting to simply sit in the silence and meditate. The thoughts will come in and can become overwhelming, and even take over the experience. Currently, I use very calm meditation music to help guide me and I set a time on my phone, the music shuts off when the time is complete. You can also use an app, there are dozens of meditation apps and guided meditations available online. I often use Gabrielle Bernstein when I am looking for a guided meditation experience, and I highly recommend her. When first beginning your meditation practice following along with a guided meditation can help to focus the mind. If you have a favorite meditation app let me know by leaving a comment below!

There are several different types of meditation and it is important to find one that aligns with you. Play around, experiment, and have fun with the process.

Photo By Jontel Chere