Are you Stressed or Striving This Christmas?

Here are my go to and proven holiday season go to tips…Enjoy putting them into practice

Every year leading up to Christmas I work with people who are stressed out with all the chaos of Christmas. I urge you to enjoy the spirit of Christmas this year by taking things at a slower pace, and remember why Christmas is important to you. A stressed, busy and tired “you” equals a stressed out unhealthy “you”. Take a few deep breaths throughout your day and bear in mind these practical proven tips…

Remember why Christmas is important to you..Keep it foremost in your mind and set a clear intention around it for e.g This Christmas is all about REST, or getting sleep or catching up with friends, or seeking new adventures etc

Do something with family members or friends as opposed to just buying something for them. Remember no amount of money can buy quality time! Perhaps plan a family day trip.(not to the shops)Include family gatherings, or do something charitable to help those less well off or who live alone and have no family. 

Write out all you need to do, buy etc and Prioritise…This will help to keep you focused and on track and can really help prevent overspending and overwhelm and all the stress that goes along with those things.

Set yourself a budget ( and stick to it)for each person or family and ask, is there something else I can do? like offer lifts, offer to babysit, offer to do the shopping, bake a cake or pudding? Use your imagination, people appreciate gifts in many forms, so it does not have to be an expensive toy for the neighbours child or ‘another’ box of unwanted biscuits or sweets.

Reduce stress by making time for you. Aim to have at least 20 minutes ME-TIME everyday whereby you can just close your eyes, deep breathe, listen to some relaxing music, have a bath, pray, stretch, have some soul time … let go of the worries of the day and your TOXIC TO DO Lists…

Keep well hydrated while out on shopping sprees, or chauffeuring your kids from A to B. Have several glasses of water during your evening out and last thing at night before going to bed to prevent dehydration and sickness, headaches, tiredness, stomach upsets and more! 

Stick to your morning and evening routines as much as possible. Just because it is  a busy season shopping, visiting, gift wrapping, dinner planning, traveling, socialising etc does not mean you have to throw the baby out with the bath water, so to speak! Pick one to three things daily which you can keep practicing no matter what. e.g keeping hydrated, having a good quality breakfast to kick start your day, and going to bed at regular times the majority of the nights will keep you looking after you rather than allowing all your good habits to go out the window!!! 

Ground yourself Daily. It can be as simple as sitting on the floor to feel more supported, stable and secure. it cab really help to get you out of your head…or just sitting for a while and not racing around like a headless chicken non stop. My Chill yourself out CD can help you to just switch off and chill out, grab the downloadable version here

High strength and good quality nutrients such as Magnesium,Vitamin C & B Complex are also recommended everyday over the festive season to reduce the burden on the liver and help combat the effects of rich food, alcohol, crazy days and late nights. 

Aim to have at least 10-15 minutes exercise daily…no need to use the cold weather as an excuse, simply run up and down the stairs, jog on the spot, dance, jump up and down off a step, skip, do squats while waiting on the kettle to boil… Increasing you heart-rate is the key…every little helps to combat low moods, toxin buildup, weight gain, sluggish systems and so on. So keep moving!!! And remember most importantly how great it feels to do something for yourself.

Avoid bloating, stomach swelling, indigestion, constipation and more by avoiding over indulgence of food, eat slowly, eat sitting up straight, chew your food well, avoid excess liquids at meal times and don’t forget to take your digestive enzymes. It is a season, it will come and go…enjoy it, have experiences and make memories to cherish forever and relish the great things about the season without destroying all your good efforts to date.

In the New year I see way to many people completely burned out, depressed and down because they have gotten their priorities all wrong. No matter what… your health is the most important thing and the above little steps can help you to keep you looking after yourself while enjoying all the festivities. I know you may know them..but knowing and practicing them are two different things.Taking consisted action is most important xx

Happy Christmas!

Gertrude

PS. Have you received my 7 step Prescription for health yet? Click here to sign up

PPS. Here is the link again to my chill yourself out Mp3