Lately I have been going for a lot of tests and visiting a lot of specialists to find out what exactly is wrong with my stomach – or is it even my stomach? Am I going crazy? Without hesitation, I turned to my trusted friend Google and entered my symptoms.
Naturally, the search results made me a little anxious – Irritable bowel syndrome, Gastroenteritis, Pregnancy, and Endometriosis were the top 4 answers. Thanks Google, you can make “Anxiety” number 5 on that list now.
What I have learned over the years – particularly in high-stress times of the year such as the holidays – is that stress does no good at all… for anyone, anytime, anywhere. With the holiday season just around the corner, we need to keep ourselves in mint condition. We don’t realize sometimes that something as simple as a deep breath, a workout and a good sleep could be all we need to reduce our “under the weather” feelings.
Top 5 Suggestions for Taking Care of You During the Holidays
Here are my suggestions for taking care of you this holiday season:
- Sleep – sounds like a pretty basic suggestion, but especially with all the germs going around during the holiday season, getting extra sleep never hurts!
- You are what you eat – ever notice that you feel crappier during the holiday season? It is likely because of what you are eating. If you want to feel and look your best, keep this little reminder inside your head.
- Get Moving – working out and being active is great stress relief and goes hand-in-hand with ‘you are what you eat’; and it will help you look and feel your best for the holidays.
- Socialize – you are the company you keep, so stay away from that Grinch or two in your life; spend time with the people who make you feel more positive and energized.
- Set Goals – every year I set three goals for myself to accomplish, whether it is a personal or professional goal is totally up to you. Setting goals gives us something to strive for in the New Year and will keep us motivated through the snowy, cold winter weather.
“The mind can go either direction under stress—toward positive or toward negative: on or off. Think of it as a spectrum whose extremes are unconsciousness at the negative end and hyperconsciousness at the positive end. The way the mind will lean under stress is strongly influenced by training.” – Frank Herbert
