Mindfulness Magic: How to Stress Less This Holiday Season

The holidays are portrayed to be a magical time of the year filled with family traditions, fun festivities, twinkling lights, and gifts galore. For some, the holidays aren’t just candy canes and the movie Elf on repeat. Instead, it can be a time of stress and burnout. Consumed with end of the year work projects, gift shopping, and making sure not to forget to send out Christmas cards on time, it is really easy to neglect self-care. If you just remembered that you haven’t purchased your Christmas cards yet, it may be time to slow down the pace and incorporate a little mindfulness magic into your holiday season, so that you can stress less! 

The art of practicing mindfulness has been clinically proven to reduce stress, anxiety and depression. But, what does it mean to be mindful? To be mindful means to be fully present in the moment while being aware of your thoughts and feelings and accepting them without judgement. 

5 Ways to Practice Mindfulness This Holiday Season

1. Walk mindfully– Get outside and breathe in the cool crisp air. As you walk, stay in tune with all of your senses and focus on what you see, hear, and feel. 
2. Eat mindfully– The holidays are filled with family dinners and holiday treats. Try to pace yourself as you eat, savor the flavor of your food and enjoy each bite. 
3. Set time to practice meditation– One way to practice the art of mindfulness is through meditation. Schedule time to sit alone with yourself and focus deeply on your breathing, while relaxing your mind. 
4. Exercise mindfully– If you plan to hit the gym this holiday season, or are active outdoors, use this time to also exercise the mind. Ditch the headphones and focus your thoughts on how your muscles are moving.
5. Mindful engagement– How often do you have the TV on just to realize you haven’t actually been watching? Or, have the radio on but don’t know what song just played? If you plan to watch all the Hallmark Christmas movies or listen to Christmas music on the radio, do just that…LISTEN. Allow your full attention to engage and enjoy the entertainment of your choosing. 

We all have the ability to practice mindfulness. Mindfulness can be practiced anywhere, at any time and all you need is yourself. You can learn more about living mindfully by visiting the AZ Dietitians blog, where you will find articles on mindful eating, the benefits of family meals, how to have a healthy holiday season and more. 

Written by: Lexi Nazzaro, Dietetic InternSources: Information adapted from mindful.org and mayoclinic.org