I woke up with chest pains, dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea, and pain in my jaw. It was January 2nd several years ago, and I could barely see out of my right eye due to a cyst on my inner eyelid.
Though the holidays had been full of comfort and joy, I’d attended two funerals, I was teaching a bazillion classes a week, and I was seeing more private yoga and coaching clients than ever.
My annual holiday illnesses had become as dependable as the New Year’s Eve ball dropping in Times Square, and my body was saying, “Enough!”
Though my heart ended up being fine that morning, I knew I needed to make some changes. I had to face the fact that I neglected my self-care in favor of trying to do alllllll the holiday things, from the Christmas market to the shopping, wrapping, and shipping, to the work parties and the seasonal dinners with friends.
I decided then and there I was going to do the holidays differently.
No more…
…sacrificing my self-care as the only way to make it through the hustle bustle.
…bombarding my body with too much running around and eating only peppermint brownies.
…stressing about getting the perfect gift for everyone.
…worrying about how to deal with the Grinches in my life.
It was time to feel more peaceful and grounded, in my body and mind.
It was time to make space to truly enjoy the season.
It was time to take better care of myself so that I could feel more connected to and show up better for my loved ones at the holidays.
I talked with my friend Isabelle Bridges about yoga for self-care at the holidays and beyond on her show, The Mother's Empowerment Podcast.
We covered a lot of ground, like:
how balancing the holidays, work, and your personal life actually requires self-care, not giving it up.
how body awareness and simplification go hand-in-hand.
practical and easy yoga, breathing, meditation, and applied yoga philosophy tips for how to maintain vitality during the season.
It starts with loving and accepting yourself as you are.
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed with the hustle bustle of the holidays this one is for you. Watch the video or listen in for some quick and easy ways to take care of yourself when things get a little too holly jolly.
There’s so much more to you than what everyone else sees from the outside.
You’re not your body, your mind, where you live, your job, or the roles you play in relation to others. Yet these different aspects of your life affect each other, your experience, and those around you.
It’s a lot more difficult to figure out what to give your niece when you’re half awake. It’s a lot more challenging to be nice to your extremist uncle when you’re hungry. It’s harder to go to your friend’s holiday party when you can’t find your keys.
When you take care of these different pieces of you, you’ll feel better inside and out, have more joy to share and feel the energy to shower those you love with the spirit of the season.
Insider’s secret: these tips work great all year round too.
Listen to my chat with Isabelle here and let us know what you think! Leave us a comment. We'd love to hear from you.
Love,
Tami
P.S. If you’re a mom, you’re going to love Isabelle’s show, The Mother’s Empowerment Podcast. Like me, she’s a firm believer that you are more than the roles you hold, and she shares her insights with strength and grace. Check it out!