Relax body, mind and soul, to learn that you can always, in any moment, choose to become relaxed, centred and at peace

Ever wondered why you so often feel tired, pressured and even exhausted, after a wonderful holiday?  You simply don’t have the energy to go back to work and you don’t even want to start thinking about the many months before the next break! Many people feel like you do – it is the holiday blues, a general and well-known phenomenon. You can do something to prevent this!

We have unreasonably high expectations of our holidays. They have to neutralise many months’ neglecting our work-life balance and be the total rebalancing, rejuvenation, rest and recovery period of the year!  Symbolically, holidays are time to relax and enjoy simple pleasures, to have renewed energy to take on life as usual, hopefully with some creative solutions to old problems left behind, and new ways of living your life. We don’t, however, relax properly and fill our sacred holy days (root words for holidays) with frantic activity, over indulging, too much socialising and superficial chit chat, when our souls are actually craving some peace and quiet, with sufficient time to relax and connect deeply with ourselves and our loved ones.   

Holidays mean change!   Any change – good or bad – can create or cause, distress.     

Stress less tips for the holidays

Ø  Try to eat healthy: include lots of fruits, vegetables, salads, nuts and seeds, fresh water and herbal teas (steep freshly grated ginger root, chamomile, rooibos, hibiscus flowers in boiling water, let it cool down, add honey or Stevia powder, mint leaves, fresh cherries or strawberries, lemon slices and lots of ice) to drink. Most people stop taking their supplements during the holidays.  Remember to take supplements like vitamin-B complex (for the nervous system), antioxidants to neutralise the holiday damage from too much alcohol, Gingko biloba (for concentration), valerian and chamomile tea (to help calm you down), milk thistle (for detoxification and to help the liver rejuvenate) and calcium, magnesium and essential fatty acids (for everything else!).

Ø  Make a commitment to stick to your exercise program adapted to the holidays: try more yoga, swimming, dancing or walking, spending lots of time connecting with nature.  

Ø  Give yourself some time for introspection and being alone, to enjoy and experience all that is happening in your day.  Keep a dream diary next to your bed (over the holiday period and when you are back at work). 

Ø  Treat yourself to a lovely bath (choose aromatherapy oils such as lavender, sandalwood, ylang-ylang, orange blossom, chamomile and neroli) or deep tissue massage.

Ø  Care for yourself with UV-protection moisturiser or tanning lotion (made form biodegradable, natural ingredients, applied to a smooth, well scrubbed body), also deep facial cleanses and facial masks made of finely chopped cucumber, witch hazel, yogurt and lemon juice. 

Ø  Start a sun gazing practice: within the first 30 minutes of sun rise or 30 minutes before sunset, stare into the sun for 10 seconds, gradually increasing it by 10 seconds a day until you do about 10 minutes a day. While doing this, you could do some yoga stretches. Sunlight this early or late in the day, is extremely beneficial to general health and wellbeing, as well as to open the pineal gland in the brain, our spiritual centre and the activator of our life force, that is directed to the healthy functioning of our neuro-endocrine, cardiovascular and immune systems.

Ø  Read, write, dream, draw or paint and release your imagination and intuition

Ø  A short relaxation exercise to try to allow you to become calm inside, and turn your attention away from outside things, people and situations that upset you:

• Sit quietly in a chair, feet on the floor, arms & hands relaxed
• Tense the muscles in your feet. Then relax them. Do the same with your lower legs, then upper legs, then buttocks, tummy, chest, hands, neck, head & face
• Take your attention to your breathing. Make it deep and slow. Count to 4 or 5 as you breathe in. Hold your breath for 2 to 3 counts. Then sigh your breath out while you count for 5, 6 or 7. Carry on doing this for 7-10 breaths
• If your head becomes filled with thoughts, simply let the thoughts flow by like clouds in the sky, and keep on bringing your attention back to your breathing
• Imagine your conscious mind taking the hand of your subconscious mind, together requesting your superconscious mind to complete the circle of three, becoming ONE and inviting Divine Intelligence to enter your being. Try this every time you feel afraid, angry, resentful, worried or in any way upset, and notice how the feelings lift to your natural state of inner peace and joy.
• After 2, 3 or even 5 to10 minutes, become aware of your body, slowly open your eyes and carry on with your day as usual, BUT you’ll feel more calm and relaxed than before you did the exercise. Try to do this in the morning & evening, and whenever you feel upset, tired or stressed

Ø  Alone time, especially in nature, give your some time out and a chance to focus on your soul centre and experience the here and now (the present moment) and to appreciate it.  Take these moments to set your values, beliefs, goals and priorities and find out what is important to you. 

Ø  If your family and friends (including the children) start to become too demanding or invasive, it is time to explain to them gently yet assertively, what your view on the specific issue is. Start creating a chore schedule where everybody is responsible for certain duties/tasks (making coffee in the morning, washing the dishes, preparing meals, etc.). If peoples’ behaviour irritate or bother you, use it as an opportunity for inner reflection on parts of your own suppressed self. After all, noticing irritating things in others, means you carry similar seeds inside, otherwise you won’t notice it at all!

This will ensure a happy time of connecting with yourself, close and extended family, and friends.

Be realistic: use the holidays to be yourself, know and speak your truth in kindness. Enjoy everyday as it comes, without any expectations. Make a conscious decision to relax!

Wellness tips during and after the holidays

-  Empty your inner thoughts and feelings in your journal – dreams, emotions, joys and sadness

-  Envision and feel your dreams and daydreams – it is the symbols from within your soul. Spend time thinking about recent events and happenings. Set your goals: short, medium and long term.

-  Enjoy ‘me’ time every day – we are human beings and not human doings!

-  Enjoy eating healthy foods, exercise regularly, use the right herbs and supplements

-  Create special time for stress management and relaxation therapies

Suggestions for cravings:

-  Uncontrollable urges for sweet things can imply deficiencies of chromium, vanadium and molibdenum  – use as part of a daily antioxidant. Low fat choices for intense constant urges for sweet things are: fruit, rice-cakes with a carob layer, low-fat yogurt, jelly-babies (only 6!), and dried fruit.

-  An urge for something, but you just can’t say what, may indicate a need for water – drink a full glass (remember, your need 8 glasses of water a day for optimum health). An intense constant urge for chocolate, can indicate a magnesium deficiency.

Until next time.

In love and kindness

Dr Arien

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