A Merry Mindful Holiday

Stress!

It is the overwhelming feeling that somehow tends to permeate the holiday season even more than Mariah Carey. All of the decorations to put up, gifts to buy and wrap, food to make, parties to attend! It feels like there is too much to do in too little time.

While a little bit of stress can be beneficial to help us focus on those tasks we’ve been putting off or running through the aisles to grab the last on sale deal, that prolonged, consistent stress can be physically and mentally damaging. Stress has been linked not only to increased rates of depression, anxiety, and poor sleep but also to high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s, cancer, and many more health issues.

But before you stress about your stress, there is hope!

While we can’t always cut out what is stressing us out or totally skip the holidays, we can do something to help mitigate the harmful effects. One of the easiest, most beneficial ways to reduce stress is by practicing mindfulness meditation.

What is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness meditation is the practice of simply bringing your attention to the present moment, on purpose and without judgement.

Our minds tend to ruminate on the past or worry about the future. We’re replaying a holiday memory from five years ago over and over or making checklists of all the things we don’t have time to do. Focusing on the past or future can make us anxious, stressed, and just downright unhappy. Being mindful and focusing on our present experience can help us quiet our mind and find more peace and joy.

There are so many ways to practice mindfulness too. You can connect to the present while sitting on a meditation pillow, driving to work, or even standing in the checkout line at the store!

Try taking a moment to focus on your breathing or one of your senses (something you smell, hear, feel, see, or taste.) Pay attention to how it feels (smells, tastes, etc.) without trying to label or judge the experience.

Did you do it?

Congratulations! You were just in the present moment practicing mindfulness.

For more ways to practice mindfulness follow me on Instagram or Facebook (@dawnlightyoga) for the 31-Day Mindfulness Challenge. Every day in December 2022 I will be posting a mindfulness exercise for you to try.

Have a Merry, Mindful Holidays!