It is the festive season and in Amsterdam, that means we are all cozying up. The darker days bring the Amsterdam Light Festival, mulled wine and “oliebollen” our way. The Americans celebrate Thanksgiving, the Dutch, Sinterklaas and some of us simply celebrate everything!
This is the time of the year that we also see more people that are generally tired and stressed out. The tolls of a greater workload but also a busier social life really starts to show. A lot of people (myself included) suffer from an affliction generally known as FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). We would all like to be everywhere all the time. Sound familiar? We all know that our mental wellbeing impacts our physical wellbeing; it is vital to adapt your response to daily stressors and to make time for yourself. And unless you make time for yourself, your body will force you to do so.
1. Simplify.
De-clutter your cupboards and closets. Buy quality things instead of large quantities. Eat food from nature. Don’t buy things you don’t need. Instead of giving others meaningless gifts think about more creative ways to spark joy in their lives. What about de-cluttering social engagements and only go to those that you really enjoy and gives you energy?
2. Check-in with yourself and your body language.
A clenched jaw, hunched shoulders, scrunched up face. These are all cues that you are tense. Ask yourself what is going on. Take a moment to change this. Relax your body, pull your chest up and smile!
You might feel that your body needs more love and care during times of increased stress. As chiropractors, we know that high mental stress will cause a more subluxated spine. Make a point of not skipping your regular adjustments, workouts, meditations and healthy diet that keep you in tip-top shape.
3. Connect with mother nature.
We live in a very ‘concrete’ world and can very easily forget about our connection with the earth. In the winter it becomes even harder to get outside, but don’t let that stop you! Studies show that nature relatedness is responsible for the willingness to give to others, indicating that these experiences facilitated a willingness to promote others’ interests as well as one’s own.
4. Meditation.
Tune in to that inner you! This doesn’t need to be hard. A good place to start is by doing short, silent moments to center yourself.
For instance, when performing a menial task, like doing the dishes, just focus on that, the simple task of washing your bowl. I love this article written by Leo Babauta of Zen Habits.
5. Practice Gratitude.
Gratitude rituals are still one of the top things that highly successful people like Tony Robbins, Oprah Winfrey, and Richard Branson perform on a daily basis. Studies have shown that people that regularly say ‘thank you’, especially for the small things in life, tend to be happier, have better brain function and better relationships with others.
What is a gratitude ritual? In the most simple terms, it means that you think about something that you are grateful for. Most people recommend thinking of at least three things, mostly the simple and mundane (like have a warm bed to sleep in) and not repeating the same things every day.
During the festive season, we have a gratitude practice of our own. When you come in for your adjustment, we will have paper stars waiting for you to write something you are grateful for, please join us for this ritual and share your joy!
Wishing everyone a happy, healthy festive season.
Glow Chiropractic