Phew! It is December and the list is growing. How do we manage our stress levels and keep it from boiling over this holiday season?
One of my favorite tips is a body scan, breath check in. A tool anyone can use, any time of the day, because we can't go a day without breathing.
Take a moment right now to sit back, listen to the noise around you, now focus on your breathing. is your breath shallow, small, deep, loud? How does it feel to take a deeper breath? Can you breathe down to your belly, letting the stomach expand and contract? Do you feel tension anywhere as you breath? Your chest, your shoulders, your jaw, your stomach? Now can you focus on breathing into that space and allowing your breath to release this tension?
Good, now feel your breath moving through your body again.
Do you still notice tension, or has it moved on? If you still feel tension in an area of your body , breath into it and let it go.
And breath in slowly and down to your stomach, expanding and now contracting.
Do this 3 times, and feel your body in this moment.
You can do this breathing exercise throughout the day, and especially before gatherings so that you can bring yourself into the present moment
Join me starting in December 1st in our FB group where I will post video Tips every day for the holiday season to help you de-stress and stay present.https://www.facebook.com/groups/mindfulihelpmoms
