3 Ways to Reduce Holiday Stress

It can be an emotional time of year.
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The pressures from friends and family, food and drink….

Presents, parties, long nights, wintry weather, loneliness, angst, drama, longing, desire, dynamics, fear, expectations, obligations, guilt….

As well as, love, light, connection, desire, togetherness, joy, comfort, ease, satisfaction, delight, safety, giving, sparkling light, color, cozy fires, warmth….

​Wherever you find yourself in the continuum it can be helpful to have a few special tricks to help navigate all the energy of the season.
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Cruise through this time with more energy, stamina and lightness.  Feel the effects of stress and its imminent depletion melt away.

3 Ways to Reduce Holiday Stress
and
​Stay Grounded

1.Feel the Funny in your Bones

​Oh the power of humor.  It has magical properties doesn’t it?  Yes, indeed it does. It can increase our tolerance to pain, has positive effects on our immune systems and releases chemicals that help protect our heart. Laughter also helps to foster connections and reduces anxiety.

Energetically, amusement goes a long way. Laughter helps clear your energy palate and helps to reset your energetic frequency.

Are you taking something or someone (even yourself)’too’ seriously?

Are you feeling bogged down, anxious, heavy, controlling, angry?
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Does your energy feel stuck or resistant? Are you feeling depressed?

When we are facing a situation where the energy is intense and we find ourselves getting emotional or serious or overwhelmed, try calling to mind a funny moment you have experienced, a joke that made you laugh or even just smiling will help to diffuse intensity of all kinds and keep your energy clear.

Pro tip: If you know you are going into a tense situation, going holiday shopping, having a conversation or meeting someone where emotions or anxieties may be running high, or where you often feel depleted afterward, go prepared! 

​Think of your funny moment or watch a funny comedy clip before hand. The trick is you have to really feel it inside. Hold that amusement and let it frolic through your body and energetic space.

Feel the funny in your bones.  Let it radiate out, like an internal sun and carry on!

2. Earth it and Forget it

Yes, it may be cliche’ but boy does it work!  Just like laughter grounding/earthing has some of the same positive effects on the body: Decrease in pain, insomnia, anxiety and stress. Grounding helps to promote feelings of well being. AKA decreases feelings of overwhelm.
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Grounding can help you stay strong in your body, gives you direct access to your inner wisdom and helps keep you clear and aware.

There are many different ways to ground.  You can physically have contact with the earth. You can lay on the earth or go barefoot (if it isn’t too cold!).

Or you can energetically connect to the earth with a visualization.

I like using a grounding cord that attaches at my hips and goes directly to the center of the earth.

You can use anything that brings you joy for your grounding cord: a tree root, a long tail, a glittering beam of light, anything that feels good to you and your body.
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Pro tip: If you are feeling overwhelmed or tired or like you need a break duck into the bathroom for a couple minutes.  Take some deep breaths and imagine your grounding cord (as above) or your feet in soft sand, or on some feathery moss. Earth it and forget it. Ground and move on.  It doesn’t have to big a big thing or take a lot of time, but it can be very, very helpful.

3. Give yourself a Rose

Feeling bombarded by all the energy flying around? Parties, crowds, music, drinks, people, expectations!

Even if you are not directly connected to the mayhem of the holiday season, you can still feel its effects.

There is something in the air, things are heightened, people are moving faster, places are more crowded, commercials blast sales and everyone is going somewhere and they are late!

What do roses have to do with this?  Good question!
Roses are a beautiful way to help give you some energetic protection.  Heading out into the world with a nice protective layer of roses all around you can do wonders.

How?!   I am glad you asked….

Use your imagination  and see yourself opening a door to a room that is filled with roses.  They are your favorite color and smell amazing.

Step into this room and lay down. Let the softness of the rose petals brush against your skin, let the cushion of the roses support you completely.
Stay as long as you like, feeling and smelling and luxuriating.
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Feel your whole body relax. Feel anything that feels stuck in you begin to release. Feel the way the bountiful beauty fills you up and clears anything that isn’t yours!

Next, when you are ready to come out imagine that as you stand up you have a cloak or coat made completely of roses. The coat is long and covers your legs and feet, it even has a hood.

Now imagine that the purpose of the roses are to filter out any unwanted energies.  They also protect you. This is your own personal buffer. Feel how impervious you feel to the energy even in a large crowd. Notice how much clearer your head feels when you get home.

Pro tip: Try using your protection roses at the next family gathering.
Give yourself a rose (you deserve it).

May your holidays be bright, clear and grounded!

Love,
Lark