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As defined by brands and advertisers, the holidays mean socializing, decorating, gift buying, cooking, traveling, and forced fraternizing. For many of us, that feels like barely contained chaos.
It can be lovely to share elements of this with friends and family in the spirit of giving and gratitude and all of that. But it’s entirely too easy, amid the endless tasks and commitments, to lose yourself and forget about the things that keep you sane. And even though you swore that this year would be different, nothing is going to change unless you have a strategy in place.
Try this. Start the holiday gauntlet the same way you start your yoga practice—pause for a moment, slow your breath, and let everything else recede. Just for one minute. Repeat as needed through the end of the year. And explore some of the following ways you can draw on other lessons from yoga to help make the holidays more manageable.
1. Set an Intention
Just as you set an intention for your yoga practice, it’s a great idea to set an intention for the holiday season, too. Gratitude is a great intention for Thanksgiving (Duh. That’s the whole point!), but that doesn’t mean you have to move on when the leftovers are gone. Choose an intention that means something to you and meditate on it throughout the holiday season. Remember it every time you hear holiday music blasting through the speakers at your local retail establishment to keep you grounded. (Take that, Holiday Consumerism!) Stay the course.
2. Make Time for Your Practice
Yes, you’re busier than usual. There are trees to be trimmed, gifts to be purchased, baking to be made, and a thousand other excuses to skip out on your yoga and meditation practice this time of year. Don’t overlook those practices that help you feel more like, well, you. It will release some of that excess tension and help you draw on your calm—and maybe even your sense of humor—even when things get crazy.
3. Tap into Community
For a lot of people, the holidays are about spending time with family and friends. Why not celebrate your yoga buddies, too? You don’t have to plan yet another holiday party — just make a point to check in, share a laugh, and support each other — especially as things get busier in the coming weeks!
4. Be Mindful
The holidays give you many unique opportunities to pause for a second before reacting to a situation so that you can instead respond mindfully. That applies to when you shop, schedule (or overschedule) yourself, and interact with family. If you let your intuition guide you, you won’t have to stress or wonder whether you should have said that to your opinionated aunt.
5. Take Care of Yourself
Of course, you want to help others feel appreciated during the holidays, but it’s more important than ever to make sure you get enough rest and take some time for yourself, too. Put your legs up the wall, take a soothing bath, get to a yoga class–just make sure you get some time away from all the stimulation so you can rejuvenate.
About our contributor
Erica Rodefer is a writer and yoga practitioner in Charleston, SC. Visit her blog, Spoiledyogi.com, follow her on Twitter, or like her on Facebook.