Make a plan for calm
Tip #1 for the holiday season: Make a plan for calm
The holiday season can be … intense. We have more places to be, more people to see, more things to do. And, for many of us, the holidays bring emotional complexity too. In the midst of it all, it can be hard to find your center. So today, before it all begins, block off some time for self-care in your calendar. Take a moment to write a list of things that keep you feeling nourished and balanced (a walk outside? lunch with an old friend? a trip to the bookstore? a massage? …), and then schedule them into your December.
Remember that how you do these things is as important as doing these things. Meaning if you’re taking a bath with a clenched jaw and running through your to-do list you’ll likely miss out on the rejuvenating qualities of the activity. So, don’t forget the subtle in self-care. Can you soften your jaw? Can you breathe a little deeper? Can you let yourself be supported by your chair?
Here are some of the Calm team’s own self-care practices:
Christi-an: I feel most grounded when I schedule in a couple of Pilates/Yoga/Dance fusion classes into my week. It’s not uncommon for me to go into class feeling overwhelmed and like I don’t have time for this, only to end up leaving feeling open and spacious. Or, said in other words, from feeling like self-care is indulgent to remembering that caring for myself serves my well-being, work, and relationships.
Jade: Cooking is one of my go-to self-care activities. It’s often easy to stop when things get busy, so I purposely make sure I have at least a few evenings a week dedicated to it. It helps me slow down and connect with my senses, and by pausing to make something for myself from scratch, I feel a deep sense of achievement. I schedule grocery shopping (something I love to do!) and have made a list of new food shops to check out to inspire my dishes.
