Self Care for the Holidays!

During this busy yet exciting season we wanted to remind you of a few creative ways you can continue to prioritize your own health and wellness, as we always believe that self love is the first step in being able to love others.

1. Stop and take 10 seconds to breathe deeply and appreciate the sensory experience at hand - the exquisite taste of the seasonal treat, the bright stars in the night sky, the texture of the fresh evergreen branches. Set the intention to pause periodically to fill the lungs while noticing little details and feeling gratitude for the blessings of the present moment.

2. Give ourselves grace for our own imperfections. Our loved ones don't want us to spend special times together feeling guilty for not having found the perfect present for each acquaintance or not keeping a perfect schedule among many obligations. Allow ourselves the same forgiveness we would allow for our best friend in the same situation.

3. Take a risk that honors your true self more than (real or imagined) external expectations. Maybe you'd rather start the tradition of heartfelt notes in homemade cards, try out a healthier version of a favorite dish, or plan a special mealtime blessing that includes a diversity of spiritual perspectives on this time of year. Give others the gift of your visionary creativity!

For further reading on some great holiday self care tips, we've rounded up some fabulous articles:

Grinch Prevention by Dr. Bloom

Planning for Substance Control by Dr. Mathieu

Singles Holiday Guide from the Chopra Center

and

Self Love Tips from MindBodyGreen

From all of us at Turner Professional Group, we hope you enjoy many blessings as we transition into winter, and that you can increase your capacity to be giving towards others others through first expanding your own self-love disciplines.