By WIN Provider, Dr. Lauryn Friesen, Chiropractor
I often find the last week of the year to be the busiest of all. As it is very easy to get caught up in the hustle of the holidays I want to remind you of the importance of setting some time aside to slow down, take care of yourself and reflect on your 2021 year.
A couple habits I encourage you to keep up with during the holidays.
Getting enough sleep. Of course it is alright to have a couple late nights in the midst of the festivities, which is why it is very important to get good quality sleep the nights leading up to and after festivities. Try to keep as consistent of a sleep schedule as possible. As always try to avoid caffeine 6 hours before bed and aim for no screen time 30 minutes before bed.
Keep moving your body throughout the holidays. Schedule time to exercise in ways that you enjoy. Exercise can be a great way to decrease stress, improve sleep, improve energy, and allow for a continued sense of routine. With that being said, keep your exercise expectations realistic and be gentle with yourself if you don’t keep up with your typical routine. Sometimes exercising throughout the holidays may look like a walk outside with family instead of an intense workout. The important thing is that you allow some time for movement, whatever that movement may look like.
Lastly, I encourage you to set some quiet time aside to spend with yourself, reflect on your 2021 year and write down some intentions for 2022.
Ask yourself:
What are your favourite memories from 2021?
What are you grateful for in 2021?
How did you make yourself proud in 2021?
How did you grow in 2021?
Write down some intentions for 2022. This year switch up from the traditional resolutions and instead replace them with intentions or manifestations for the new year. Extreme resolutions can be difficult to attain for the long run. Intentions are guiding principles that can help connect our present actions to our values. Instead of focusing on the end point, focus more on the habits you would like to build throughout the year.
What healthy habits do you want to bring into 2022?
What are you manifesting for 2022?
Whatever this holiday season may look like for you, I wish you and your loved ones health and happiness. Take some time to yourself, focus on the good from 2021 and manifest positivity for 2022.
Merry Christmas, happy holidays, and Happy New Year.
Dr. Lauryn