Red Hot Mamas In Charge of Change.
By: Red Hot Mamas
Published: December 8, 2021
“People become attached to their burdens sometimes more than the burdens are attached to them.”
-George Bernard Shaw
Dear Red Hot Mamas,
I know that it’s the time of year when your emails are jammed with stores announcing their sales and discount codes. So, you will be relieved that this email is not one of them.
We all know how difficult it is to take care of others and always be there for them. To take care of others adequately, you must first take care of yourself. But, how do we this? It is important to make healthy choices which certainly will affect our physical and emotional bodies.
I bring this up today as I know the holidays can sometimes be difficult. Why, it is because we are presented with never ending to-do lists which put on added stress and diminishes our energy. That, coupled with juggling our career and family life can play havoc with our health. Oftentimes, we feel as if our lives are running on fumes. Our tanks feel empty due to stress. So, it becomes more difficult to go the full distance necessary to not only take adequate care of ourselves, but also to share our love and compassion with others.
If you are overwhelmed by stress, it is always important to seek help from your doctor.
Here are some tips which you might find helpful on managing stress:
Exercise – Any kind of exercise releases hormones that provides relief in dealing with challenging situations. Exercise reduces our stress levels and wards off depression. An ideal exercises regime would be for about 30 minutes to 1 hour of exercise 3-4 times a week. This might help you to feel more energized.
Pay Attention to Your Food Habits – Stay away from sugary foods because they will not help with stress. Sugary foods may weaken the body’s ability to cope with stress.
Communicate/Talk/Socialize – Share your emotions with someone you trust. There is nothing wrong with admitting that you aren’t coping well with the situations arising in your life. In fact, it may help you to get a different perspective on situations which could provide help. And, accept their offers of help with your workload of responsibilities.
Deep Breathing – You can do this anywhere. Inhale 4 counts through your nose, let your breath reach the stomach and exhale 4 counts from the nose as well. Repeat this several times. Your mind should solely remain on your breathing. This should calm you and bring you peace to help you deal with challenging situations.
Find Some “Me Time” – Take some time out from your activities. And, don’t feel guilty in doing this. Do something rewarding for yourself like taking a relaxing bath or reading a good book. Just put aside all your concerns for a brief period each day. This may help you to recharge and energize yourself.
In closing, I hope that you will keep this in mind: change what you can, accept what you can’t, and learn to differentiate between the two. These words of wisdom may help you to alleviate some of the stress in your lives. Yes, conquering stress is doable.
On behalf of the Red Hot Mamas I want to wish you an amazing holiday. I hope that you take some time off to indulge in the festive spirit of the holiday and enjoy spending quality time with family and friends.
Happy Holidays – See you in the New Year,
Good Health to You All,
Karen Giblin
