Anyone else feel like a puddle of bloated, exhausted, semi-conscious, almost human right now?
K, good. At least we’re in it together
The holiday season, pretty much Halloween to New Years, can take its toll on anyone. Your brain is on overdrive, your body feels like a garbage disposal and you’re teetering on the brink of emotional collapse.
Or at the very least, you just need a nap. So here are a few quick and easy things you can do to feel better right now.
Make a List
One of the first things I do when I’m in a state of overwhelm? I write it all down. Whether it’s a list of tasks to accomplish, reasons to do (or not do) something, gifts to buy, calls to make, toxic relationships to end, WHATEVER it is, write it down.
Sometimes the simple act of getting it out of the swirling in your brain makes it all feel much more manageable. Grab a journal, the back of an envelope, open the Notes app on your phone…just make a list.
Stretch It Out
A good stretch ain’t just a post workout must. One of the immediate benefits of stretching is a calmer mind and lower blood pressure. Not to mention increased blood flow and tension relief where we tend to carry tension most; neck, shoulders and upper back.
In the midst of the chaos, find 10 minutes to stretch and breathe. It will give you the immediate physical benefits but also give you a chance to quiet your mind and collect yourself.
I love Yoga with Adriene on YouTube. She has a ton of stretching routines that are easy and fast and don’t require equipment or tons of time.
Yoga for Neck and Shoulder Relief
Meditation Break
This is right in line with the stretching and if you do both? You’ll be back in the game in no time!
I have been using the Calm app for months now and am truly obsessed. There is actually a session called Emergency Calm that gives you a 3, 5 or 10 minute guided meditation to combat stress. I wonder if they’re tracking just how many times I utilize those??
Calm also has TONS of daily meditations, sleep stories and music and ASMR options, you’ll for sure find what works best for you.
Hydrate
This seems almost too simple to mention but I am telling you, it should probably be #1.
With the amount of off the rails eating and drinking I do during the holidays, most feelings of yuck can be alleviated with a day of mindful hydration. I carry my Yeti tumbler with me everywhere, it’s become a lovie at this point, and it’s always full. Grab one for yourself!
Make a Plan
We started our feel better list with simply making a list. Now it’s time to make a plan.
Feeling overwhelmed and over extended and over everything-d, is a by product of the sheer volume we as women take on. I am a huge fan of planning out monthly, weekly and sometimes daily, the never-ending list of to-dos. Setting goals, laying out steps to achieve those goals; this can be one the best ways to organize the mind jumble and create a sense of order. All of which just makes us feel better 🙂
It’s so easy to get caught up in the chaos, to forget to slow down, to disregard ourselves. But it doesn’t HAVE to be that way!
Enjoy a quick break and you WILL feel better. Promise 🙂
xoxo
