22 Dec Happy Holidays from Body One

With just a few days before Christmas and with two weeks left in the year, life is both speeding up and slowing down. Local schools are wrapping up, college students returning home after final exams, family and friends are shopping, cooking, and entertaining, and depending on your industry, business is either slowing to a halt or gearing up for a big finish. For me, there is no other time of the year quite like it, and it can be a struggle to maintain an outlook that transcends the pressures and expectations placed on us by family, friends, neighbors, and most importantly ourselves.

This time of year more than any other I try to focus on the simple pleasures of life. A cup of coffee in front of the fire, a walk with my family, dinner with friends, gently falling snow, Christmas Carrols and lights, a cold beer with a buddy, listening as my kids make treats for the neighbors, and time to reflect on the past and contemplate the future at the New Year. However, we are often too distracted by what we think we should do to enjoy what we really want or need to do.

So how do we resolve the inherent conflicts of the expectations and reality of the Holiday Season? Here are some methods that you might find helpful:

• Set aside small periods of time for personal reflection, prayer, or meditation
• Set aside time for regular exercise, even if only for 15-20 minutes
• Strive for realistic expectations regarding gift giving, food preparation, and commitments to other events.
• Live in the moment with family, friends, neighbors, and colleagues
• Look around you for opportunities to give generously of your time and treasure to those who are less fortunate than you
• Focus your New Year’s planning on ways that you can improve one or more aspect of your life or health, and on how you might simplify without compromise

More than anything, my wish for you this Holiday Season is that you are safe, healthy, comfortable, and prepared to enjoy the simple pleasures of the season. Blessings to you for a relaxing Holiday and refreshing New Year. And as always, if we can enhance your enjoyment of this season or any other, please let us know.

Brian