Category: Self-care

Posted on

3 Ideas on How To Be Generous With Yourself

Busy people often put their self care last on their list of to-do items. It is something that can be viewed as a luxury, and only completed if all the other items are crossed off of their list. It comes as no surprise that entrepreneurs, business owners, and parents put in long hours, finding little time to care for themselves. Are you one of these people?

Remember, especially during the bustling holiday season, if you don’t take care of yourself properly, you are inviting illness, stress, and fatigue into your home. We’ve come up with three ideas on how to be generous with yourself to ensure you are operating at full capacity through the new year.

1. Soak in a Himalayan Salt Bath
Salt baths are excellent for helping to detox your body by reducing inflammation, stimulating oxygen and blood flow, and aiding in weight loss. Himalayan salt is known to help balance hormones, boost immunity, and regulate blood pressure.

Short on time? No problem, you don’t need to cram an appointment at the spa into your already packed schedule. You can experience all the benefits of a luxurious bath in the comforts of your own home. After you put the kids in bed, respond to emails, wrap presents, or prep for your morning meeting, draw yourself a bath and add Himalayan salt to it. Make sure to keep the water at body temperature to fully experience the work of the salts.

2. Mix it Up with Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy uses concentrated essential oils in a variety of ways to harmonize the mind, body, and spirit while promoting health and providing balance. By knowing which essential oils to use and how to properly blend them, you can experience their healing properties to the fullest.

When putting the oils in a diffuser, you take in the aromas that send messages to your nervous system and the part of your brain that controls emotions. When mixing the concentrated essential oils with a base oil, you can apply them topically, allowing your skin to absorb them.

3. Experience a Massage
Whether you go to Miracles Massage to experience one of our custom designed massages, or have your partner give you a gentle rub down at home, treat yourself to the benefits of massage.

Need a little reminder on some of those incredible benefits? Massage is known to:

  • relieve pain and stress,
  • aid depression and anxiety,
  • boost immunity,
  • soothe migraines,
  • ease menstrual cramping and PMS, and
  • improve sleep.

It is very common, especially around the holidays, for people to focus on everyone and everything around them except for themselves. We are in a perpetual giving mode, yet we forget to give a little generosity, warmth, and kindness to ourselves. Don’t forget to give yourself the gift of relaxation and tranquility.    

For more ways on how to be generous with yourself or suggestions for aromatherapy that might be right for you, contact us today!

Posted on

10 Mindful Gifts to Give This Holiday Season

Giving a gift, handmade present wrapped in paper.

It’s the holidays, hon. What to get the people on our list is top of mind, these days. When we aren’t sure what you get, we often head straight for our smart devices to search for a list of popular ideas for fill in the blank. The trick is finding something suitable and meaningful for our special people. The searches are a great starting point for some, but where do you go when you want to give a gift that will have a true meaning or a lasting impact on the recipient?

You’re in luck, we did the legwork for you and came up with a dynamite list of 10 mindful gifts to give this holiday season.

1. Essential Oils Basket
This gift can be custom designed to meet the needs of each individual. Find a diffuser then think of a theme. Does the recipient need aromatherapy to help them relax or feel energized? Choose essential oils that are right for the individual and design a beautiful basket for their enjoyment. We’ve got loads to say about the benefits of essential oils and their uses so contact us if you need help choosing the perfect combination.

2. Gift of a Self-Care Experience
Many people put their head down and work. They view self care as a luxury rather than an essential to healthy living. You can put their mind at ease, in more ways than one, by giving them an opportunity to rest, relax, and feel the benefits of self care. Ideas include a gift certificate to yoga classes, a massage, or a day a their favorite spa.

3. Daily Dose of Inspiration
Who couldn’t use a little inspiration on a daily basis? Find a calendar with daily inspirational quotes, frame a life verse, or give them a journal to capture their daily thoughts and ideas.

4. Subscription for a Meal Delivery Plan
Food is a bridge to someone’s heart. Whether it’s for an overworked parent, a recent grad trying to make it on their own, a recent widower, or busy colleague, food comforts. Why not give a gift to help their night a little easier, at least once a month. Places like Blue Apron, Hello Fresh, and Home Chef make this idea more manageable and convenient for everyone.

5. Wine or Beer of the Month
Let’s face it, people like booze. Think about it, if you like alcohol, have you ever been disappointed when someone gave you a new wine to try or a beer packed with flavor and hops? It’s hard to go wrong when you send someone a gift like this. For those skeptics worried about giving alcohol, remember, wine and beer enthusiasts enjoy the taste and some like to figure out flavors using guides. Hint, hint, another gift idea.

6. Artwork
Art is exquisite and is enjoyed by many. If you are looking for a unique gift, search for a local artist and find a painting that’s just right for your special someone.

7. Family Fun Night
Whether you purchase a pack of movie tickets, seats for a theatre production, or assemble a basket filled with your favorite board game classics, families will appreciate the time together to share in laughter and merriment throughout the year.  

8. Charitable Donation
It’s very popular to make donations in someone’s name as a gift option. We suggest you figure out what organization your special person likes the most and make a donation there in their honor. Then you have the opportunity to give a gift to more than just one person.

9. A Book of Homemade Vouchers
What do you give someone who has everything? Perhaps a helping hand is what they need most. Here’s an opportunity to creatively make a coupon book that can be cashed in for things like, shoveling snow, free babysitting, an afternoon tea, a night off from cooking and cleaning up dishes, etc. Use your creativity on this one!

10. A Framed Snapshot in Time
In this digital age, may of our photos remain in a cloud, on a phone, or stored on a hard drive. Print them out. Find a photo that captures a precious moment in time and share it. Let the person receiving the photo enjoy the memory each time they sit at their desk, walk down their hallway, or lounge on their favorite chair.   

Miracles Massage is running a #CyberWeek special, which ends tomorrow, November 30. Click here to learn more and purchase online.

Posted on

Holiday Self-Care: Giving Thanks For You

Give thanks.

Oh, the holidays! The air is crisp and smells of pumpkin, cinnamon, or peppermint greet us in the most unexpected places. Stores begin to transition before our eyes into beautiful shades of red and green with twinkling lights galore. It leaves us with a feeling of warmth, happiness, and sometimes, if we are not mindful, panic.  

The season of extra giving, spending, prepping, baking, wrapping, and indulging can lead to feeling overwhelmed, if you aren’t careful. Are you ready? Really ready? That is to say, in your already full life of work, housekeeping, taxi driving, activity attending, meal planning, caregiving, etc. are you mentally prepared for the extra work that comes with the holidays?

As grownups, we realize that the grand puppet master of the holiday extravaganza that our family enjoys is, often, us. Our normal lives require a great balancing act as projects pile up, calendars are packed with activities and inboxes remind us of upcoming or (gulp) overdue tasks. In everyday life, adding one or two more items to our to-do list could cause a little healthy stress. However, when we add in the sprinkle of holiday prep, and expectations, panic and overwhelm just might be sitting behind door number two, if we aren’t mentally prepared.

Here’s a list of Self-Care Dos and Don’ts This Holiday Season you must remember. Your mindset depends on it!

Don’t:
1. Skip meals or go on a junk food only diet – as tempting as it may be to swing by the drive-thru a few times a week, or to ignore your growling stomach, remember to nourish yourself with a healthful diet so you don’t end up getting sick.
2. Forgo the gym– when you are racing the clock, regular exercise is often the first thing to go. Remember when you work out, those happy serotonin endorphins release, giving you energy and making your outlook on life a little brighter.
3. Ditch your pals – when we can’t see past our own busyness, we may say no to a lunch invitation, a happy hour, or a gabfest. Remember, your pals know you best and make your heart light. They also may be able to offer advice or strategies for tackling the stressors you face.

Do:
1. Find time for yourself– although it may sound like a luxury you cannot afford, taking time to nourish your mind and body will help you to be more productive. In your over-packed schedule, carve out time to do something just for you and make it sacred. You work hard and deserve it!
2. Take a break– when we are overly stressed, our skills are not sharp, our focus is not clear, and our efforts are often counterproductive. Pay attention to the warning signs your body gives you. Take time for breaks to gain clarity and focus. There is a reason you are stressed. You do a lot, you don’t need to earn breaks, but you should thank yourself once in a while.
3. Breathe– simple breathing exercises make a huge impact on our psyche. You can do it anywhere at any time. It’s a guaranteed calming device.

For some, the idea of self-care seems indulgent. It’s a reward only to be cashed in on if they have made sacrifices, completed their list of to-do items, and the calendar says there is an opening. We say that’s crazy talk! Find something to help you care for yourself. There’s only one of you so be thankful to yourself for all that you accomplish daily. Take a walk, schedule a massage, do something wacky and fun. If you don’t, you risk falling victim to the dreaded holiday overwhelm instead of holiday joy.

We have an idea for you: opt-in to our #CyberWeek deal, which starts on Thanksgiving morning and ends at midnight on November 30.

 

 

Posted on

25 Ways to Express Gratitude Anytime

November sparks the feelings of gratitude and appreciation for the people and things in our lives, more so than any other time of year. While this season of giving reminds us to be thankful, we don’t have to limit ourselves to sharing our feelings once a year. It is something that should be a part of our everyday life. Showing your appreciation for someone doesn’t need to be a big production. It can be as simple as saying ‘thank you’.

Not sure where to start? Here are 25 thoughtful ways to express your gratitude through simple kindness any time.

1. Email or text your significant other telling them why they’re so dreamy.
2. Tell someone who deserves it all the reasons you value them.
3. Send a note through the postal mail, just because.
4. Give a busy friend a night off and make them a meal.
5. Take a bottle of wine to your bestie’s house and have an impromptu laughfest.
6. Give genuine compliments.
7. Be a generous tipper next time you go out to eat.
8. Send flowers to someone who needs a little pick-me-up.
9. Give your sick buddy a basket filled with supplies like chicken noodle soup, orange juice, kleenex, and cough medicine.
10. Leave an assortment of essential oils on the desk of a stressed-out coworker (ask us for suggestions!)
11. Give to your favorite charity in honor of someone you love.
12. Pay it forward for the teenage boy at the gas pump searching for loose change in his car.
13. Offer to take a picture for a group of friends.
14. Encourage someone who feels like they are failing.
15. Play yet another round in a game with a small child even when you tire of it.
16. Thank a teammate for their part in a project.
17. Kiss your partner like you mean it.
18. Rake your neighbor’s leaves.
19. Invite a someone who recently lost a spouse over for dinner.
20. Help an older person with their groceries.
21. Slip your child’s teacher a $5 gift card.
22. Write a thank you note to your local police and fire stations. (Where would we be without them?)
23. Give encouraging words to the weary-looking mother of multiple children trying to get through the grocery store or Target.
24. Compliment you HOA representatives for caring so much about your community.
25. Give the gift of massage to someone who could use a little relaxation time.

After reading this list, have you noticed it is hard to separate being grateful and sharing kindness with others? Us too. When you stop to think about all the love and joy in your own life, it’s hard not to want to share that with others, making them feel a similar kind of happiness. So don’t save your cheer for the holidays, spread it every day.

For more ideas on how to express gratitude, contact us today!

Posted on

3 Playlists to Improve Your Mindfulness

Music is a well-loved expression of art. Artists capture the emotions we feel, going beyond words, and allowing vibrations, sounds, and the blending of instruments to guide us into an inspired world of our choosing. On any given day, we might look for music to boost our energy level, calm our heightened anxiety, or soothe our interrupted sleep.

When paired with mindfulness, music has three key perks: it elevates your mind, connects you with your inner peace, and improves your health. Music is a form of communication and a great resource for you to understand your inner thoughts, emotions, and feelings. Not to mention, it can be used as a tool to release the negative energy building within you.

When the demands of life come on a little too strong, use these 3 types of playlists to improve your mindfulness.

1. Restoration, Here I Come
We are busy people in need of a little slow down. Every yogi or spa enthusiast will tell you that music playing in the background is soft, peaceful, and relaxing. The gentle sounds of nature or synthetic blend of instruments is used to create a tranquil atmosphere. You can create the same blissful sounds wherever you are. Choose tracks that speak to your soul. Feel the vibrations. Focus on what you are hearing and block out the noise around you. Concentrate your thoughts. If you find yourself drifting, gently bring yourself back and be mindful of the restoration your body craves.  

Get Your Meredith Gray On
The on-screen doctor reminds us that there are times in life when nothing else can be done, you simply have to dance it out. Dance out your frustration, dance away your blues, dance for joy and happiness, and dance to celebrate. Not only is dancing an excellent form of exercise, it is also an incredible celebration of one’s self. Through dance, you can experience self-release, self-expression, and yes, a love of one’s own self. So find a batch of songs that brings you to your feet and don’t stop moving. Focus on the songs you choose. Music trips our memories so choose songs that won’t only make you shake your groove thing, but also take you to a happy place.

Sleepytown, Are You Out There?
Everyone wishes for a good night’s sleep. Unfortunately, there are a host of reasons why that doesn’t always happen in adulthood. However, science has proven that songs beginning with 60 bpm (that’s beats per minute) and slowing to 50bpm help listeners relax. Why? Because the beats per minute in the songs match our heart rate when we fall asleep. So, on the nights when your to-do list keeps growing at a rapid pace, or counting sheep doesn’t stop the worry and fear racing through your mind, turn on a playlist custom designed to send you to sleepytown. Focus on the music and not on all of your other worries.  

For more suggestions on how to incorporate mindfulness into your daily life, contact us!

Posted on

The Scariest ‘M’ Word They Ever Heard

Alright, thrill seekers. Halloween is almost here. Wanna give some coworkers a real fright? Spook them with the scariest ’M’ word they ever heard: meditation.

Does it seem like when the word meditation comes up people stare, blink, and then quickly change the subject? That’s because a lot of people don’t know what mindful meditation really is. Are you one of them? No need to worry, Freddy, won’t be calling you.

To begin our little introductory course, let’s first chat about what mindful meditation is not. Raise your hand if you think it is letting your mind wander or emptying your mind. If your hand went in the air, you’re wrong! Mindfulness meditation is actually working to be present in your thoughts, emotions, and surroundings.

When attempting to be mindful, you can take back control of your busy brain. Implementing simple mindful meditation techniques will allow you to possess an awareness of your thoughts and refocus them as necessary.

Here are six, not so scary, tips to help you and your pals mindfully meditate.

1. Clear Your Schedule
One gigantic problem for many of us is time. It seems like there is never enough time in the day to accomplish everything on our to-do lists. Everyone needs a little ‘me’ time, right? If it seems overwhelming to take an hour or even 15 minutes to mindfully meditate, start small. Baby steps, friends. Start by focusing for 3-5 minutes. You can always go up from there.

2. Turn Off Your Electronics
Nothing ruins a good relaxing mindset like a ringing or dinging phone. Fight the urge to stay connected. Turn off your electronics for a short while. Let your body rejuvenate without the familiar notifications from Facebook or Twitter.

3. Find a Sacred Space
Location, location, location. Find a sacred space where you are comfortable, the lighting is right, the sounds are soothing, and you are free from annoyances like clutter and dust bunnies.

4. Nourish Your Bod
Before you set out to mindfully meditate. Make sure you remember to eat and drink something. It may only take a few seconds until you suddenly remember that you haven’t eaten recently or you are parched beyond belief. Next thing you know, 15 minutes have passed, you’re in the kitchen whipping up a snack, and the time you allotted for this exercise is about to lapse.

5. Find a Comfortable Position
Whether you are sitting in a cozy chair wrapped in a blanket or sprawled out on the floor, find a position that works for you so you limit the urge to find a more comfortable place.

6. Take Deep Breaths
When starting out, remember to breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth in deep, slow breaths. Let your chest naturally rise and fall as you mindfully meditate.

Not so scary is it? The next time someone shrieks in horror at the word meditation, remember it isn’t something out of Stranger Things. Mindful meditation invites you to be more aware of your environment rather than switching to autopilot. You can take control of your thoughts and watch the world around you with a keen and observing eye.

Looking for more ways to mindfully meditate? We can help! Contact us today for suggestions to suit your personal needs.

Posted on

DIY Your Sacred Space Using Your 5 Senses

People may seek a sacred space because they are in need of a time for their body and mind to relax, or perhaps they are looking for a calming place to be more productive. You would be hard-pressed to find adults these days who would say they are not mentally overloaded, financially stressed, or emotionally spent at one time or another. Do you need a place to escape, recharge, and keep balanced?

When choosing a sacred space, your very first task it to find a place to call your own. Whether it is a room in your house, car, or patio, you have to find a place that speaks to you and makes you feel comfortable and safe. Consider things like the lighting, sounds, and temperature. Use all five of your senses to make sure the space will help you achieve the harmony you desire.

Consider engaging your five senses to DIY a sacred space custom-designed just for you.

1. Simplify
To make your space peaceful, you must keep it visually pleasing. Yes, you’ll want to add attractions like artwork or inspirational quotes to keep you charged; but remember, your space should be simple and clear from clutter. It is hard to find serenity in a place that is visually chaotic. Distractions come in the form of piled up bills, paperwork, dirty dishes, cascading laundry towers, and empty takeout containers. Rid your space of visual excess so you can tap into serenity.  

2. Do You Hear What I Hear?
Unwanted noise is the worst kind of distraction. As you try to empty your mind and enjoy a peace-filled place, the gentle hum of a refrigerator or the rattling of an old fan you normally don’t notice, may just make you bonkers. Find a space that is free from distracting sounds. If that isn’t possible, you may want to add your own soothing sounds of nature.   

3. 1, 2, 3 Breathe
Don’t forget to think about the air you are breathing. What kind of experience are you trying to create in your sacred space? Aromatherapy is an excellent way to engage your senses and heighten your experience.

4. Feel the Space
Your productivity or lack thereof could all come down to comfort. Choose furniture and carpets that suit the needs of the experience you desire. For example, make sure your desk chair is ergonomically correct. The last thing you want is for your sacred space to leave you with aches and pains. Similarly, choose a soft plush rug or carpet if you plan to do lots of floor work.

5. A Taste Treat
Delight the last of your senses with a tasty treat. Perhaps a bowl of chocolates, a crisp peppermint, a chai latte, or a glass of red wine. Taste and smell are closely linked. They can be quite powerful and trigger memories. Use tastes and smells to remind you of fond memories when you are trying to unwind.  

When you are mindful about engaging all of your senses, you can find easy ways to play into your sensory preferences. Let all of your senses work together to keep you in harmony. Need more suggestions on how to DIY your sacred space? Contact us today!

Posted on

The Gender Wars: How to Effectively Manage Energy

The average family life includes two working partners juggling workplace demands with household chores, homework management, shuffling sports schedules, and oh, yeah, working on the important relationships in our lives. What’s the problem?

These long hours and the daily stress of it all takes a toll on our bodies if we are not mindful in our approach of balancing the components to our day. Men and women alike feel negative energy, but how they experience it is completely different.

By being more mindful in your approach to negative energy, you can not only karate chop it right out of your way, but also gain valuable insight into what is happening in your partner’s world.

So what do we know?

Ladies, First

  • For most women, the worst stress they experience is a threat to their relationships.
  • Women tend to put themselves last by sacrificing their own needs for that of others.
  • When seeking comfort, women lower their anxiety levels by talking out their problems and frustrations.
  • Women have a stronger sense of empathy. They try to better understand another person’s perspective when facing conflict.

The Gents

  • Men take a more fight or flight approach to stress and negative energy.
  • Fellas tend to seek escape to get away from their stressors.
  • Many men are highly competitive, by nature, so they may opt for a quick pickup game to work out their frustrations and boost their self-esteem.

What’s This About Energy?

Energy comes from four wellsprings within the human body.

1. Body
This is your physical energy.
*Poor sleeping habits, inadequate nutrition, and lack of exercise are a few reasons your bodily energy gets out of alignment.

2. Emotions
This is how you experience life and relate to others using your five senses.

3. Mind
This is the difference between confusion and understanding. Your mental energy focuses on thoughts, attitudes, beliefs, and values. It’s how you process and reason.

4. Spirit
This is how you determine your sense of being and belonging.

Put Them Together

Think about the four aspects of energy in relation to yourself. Which area have you developed well and what needs improvement? How might you make an adjustment to get your four wellsprings back in balance?

Next, look at your partner and make the same assessment. Knowing how the opposite sex handles stress may give you a little insight into taking steps to mindfully engage with them as you work together to manage negative energy.

Here are three suggestions to avoid energy-depleting behaviors.

1. Set boundaries
When faced with negative energy, pay special attention to how it affects you. Set up boundaries that make you feel comfortable and be sure to respect them. It’s easy to make exceptions and bend a little, but not if it is going to negatively impact your personal balance.

2. Don’t overanalyze
You might try to make sense of a situation or a conversation when nothing fruitful will come of it. Don’t allow yourself to get emotionally wrecked when it is simply a difference of gender behavior.

3. Choose your battles
There are times you will simply have to walk away and realize the person of the opposite sex is handling their negative energy as best they can. You must not allow it to disrupt yours, but by being mindful, you could help them achieve their harmony.

For more suggestions on how to achieve balance or to learn how you may incorporate aromatherapy in your energy management, contact us!

Posted on

10 Secrets of Mastering Mindfulness Exposed

The goal of being mindful is to achieve peace and joy within yourself. How might you obtain this calm and clear state of mind? We’ve come up with a list of 10 actionable items that you can easily tackle in your everyday life.

Get these guys down, and you will be a master in mindfulness.

1. Intentionally Breathe
You might think this one should be labeled “mindfulness for dummies”, but many people take it for granted. You can do it anywhere at any time, but do you? Step One: breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth. Step Two: focus on your breathing and the calm rhythm of your chest rising and falling.

ProTip: For those of you who may be new to breathing exercises, one full minute of mindful breathing may seem like an hour. Start slowly by focusing your breathing for a minute or two and work your way up.

2. Monitor Daily Media Diets
Be conscious of what you see and hear. It might seem harmless, at first, but negativity has a way of creeping into our unsuspecting psyches. If you are not mindful, those guilty-pleasure television shows could impact your outlook.

3. Keenly Observe
Take time to actually notice the world around you. Really. Go outside and take a look. Notice the flowers, the squirrels chasing each other around a tree. Take a few moments to watch children engaged in their imaginative play as tree stumps become castles and sticks become mighty swords. Feel your body physically relax as you watch your surroundings.

4. Actively Listen
Close your eye so you mindfully rely on your hearing to tell you what is going on around you. Listen to leaves rustling in the wind, jets flying overhead, cars zooming by, birds singing a morning tune. When you are in conversation with others, don’t be tempted to think about your next response, but rather linger in what they are saying to you.

5. Turn Off Autopilot
As you go through your day, it is easy to breeze through mundane tasks to check off lists as quickly as possible. Experience the moment you are in… Right. This. Second. How do you feel? What do you see, hear, smell, taste? Be present in the moment and relish this exact time in your life. Be aware of every movement.

6. Attempt to Unitask
Let’s face it, multitasking is all the rage (and has been for a very long time), but it can be overrated. Who can fully experience life when they are juggling 15 plates in the air? Did you know that it takes 50% longer to accomplish a task when you are interrupted? Yup. Focus on one important thing at a time and mindfully engage with it.

7. Appreciate the Underappreciated
Show your appreciation generously to the little things in your life that you might otherwise gloss over. Think about all the elements needed to complete a simple task. We live in a very privileged society. Take a few moments to think about how the seemingly insignificant things in your day are actually game changers- like electricity, running water, and the internet.

8. Drop Calls/Smartphones
Technology has reshaped the way we communicate. There’s no doubt about it, it has incredible benefits. The downside, however, is that personal relationships can be negatively impacted, particularly when families are too busy looking down at smartphones to look into the eyes of loved ones. Set parameters around your viewing time so you have plenty of time to connect with your special people.

9. Seek Adventure
When people let go of what is comfortable they experience a form of fear. This emotion awakens a new sense within requiring a new mental balance. This form of fear heightens your conscious state of awareness forcing you to be mindful. Try it.

10. Have Fun
Think about the last time you laughed. Can you remember what amused you? Laughing helps the body relax and cope with the ups and downs of life. Enjoy the sound of your own laughter and gravitate to people, music, and media that makes you forget the troubles you face.

Looking for more ways to approach life mindfully? Contact us for extra tips and tricks that will help you achieve harmony.

Posted on

The Secret to Mindfulness for the Holidays

Source: Adobe Stock

As the holidays approach, it is easy to get caught up in the excitement and overwhelm. We tend to place very high expectations on holidays and vacations. It’s supposed to be a time for rest, relaxation, and connectedness. However, for many, it causes pain, drama, and resentment. Don’t fall victim to this common problem, instead, make the holidays enjoyable and stress-free.

Are you someone who experiences a holiday burn out rather than the refreshed, reinvigorated, and rebalanced state of being you were striving to achieve? (Shock Alert: We all do it sometimes!) It is time to reveal the secret to living a pleasant, joyful, and present life with just six easy and totally manageable tips. Stick with us, and you’ll be achieving the bliss of mindfulness that you long to obtain this holiday season- and beyond.

1. Have Meaningful Conversations
Fight the natural urge to speak about yourself, what is going on in your world, your likes, dislikes, political views, you get the idea. Many of us can be a bit narcissistic, at times. As we try harder to be more mindful, it is important to truly listen to what others are telling us. We can do this by avoiding our tendencies to interrupt, interject, and even overshadow our loved ones’ experiences. Listen to what they have to say instead of allowing your mind to wander with your next response. You will feel calmer and they will feel valued.

2. Dwell on the Positive

Source: Adobe Stock

Reflect on all of the positive things in your life. Practice by closing your eyes and making a mental list of everything in your life that makes you happy. Think about the people, opportunities, and gifts for which you are grateful. If you are a person who needs to see it to believe it, challenge yourself to a game of #100happydays. Post a photo on Facebook, Instagram, or your favorite social media site to highlight one thing that makes you happy each day for 100 days. It makes for a hard argument when you are feeling blue and then look back at all the positive people, places, and things in your life.

3. Pay Full Attention to the Food
Holidays are filled with glorious food to delight our taste buds but sometimes we forget to fully enjoy them. It is very easy as we race from the homes of different relatives on opposite sides of the family to scarf down food without really experiencing it. Be mindful by paying close attention to your senses. Look at the food that has been prepared for you and take note of the way it looks, smells, feels, and tastes. You won’t be sorry!

4. Don’t Rehash Old Drama
It’s bad for your health to hold on to grudges. If you decided to forgive and move on, do it! Let go of your ill feelings and accept your family for who they are right now, not who they were back when. A costly mistake is blaming our friends and family for not showing up the way we want them to. There comes a point where you have to accept them for who they are. Namaste, people.

5. Be at Rest
Ain’t nothin’ wrong with getting a little shut eye. Power naps are proven to help recharge us physically, mentally, and emotionally. We all get grumpy when we are tired. The holidays bring a long list of preparations that can leave the best of us exhausted. We can tackle obstacles to our day with much more grace and dignity when we are rested. Additionally, you can practice mindfulness amidst the chaos. Take five minutes to sit down, close your eyes and listen to the mayhem around you. Listen for children giggling, dishes clanging in the kitchen, grandpa snoring as the ballgame is blaring on the television. These are the moments that you will want to remember.

6. Break out the Diffuser
Everyone benefits from a little aromatherapy. Find a scent that will create the atmosphere you want. Put it in a diffuser and let the essential oils do their job.

Not sure what essential oils would be best for your holiday? Contact us today and we will help you choose something that is right for you and your family.