A Stress Free Holiday!

Last night I attended a Holiday workshop at the Wrentham Public Library. It was truly eye opening! The theme of the workshop was holiday stress. The holidays for me personally have never been a stressful time period, although I imagine that will change the minute kids are in the picture and I am out shopping more, wrapping last minute gifts, Christmas cards, etc. Actually, now that I am thinking about it...this year already feels more stressful than last.......considering Brad and I are planning on hosting a mini Holiday gathering, more presents will need to be wrapped and bought and possible holiday cards!

But don't get me wrong...I love the Holidays. My favorite holiday(s) is Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve (Yes I know Christmas eve is not really a holiday). Thanksgiving really kicks off the season. Family get togethers, great food, pumpkin pie and the start of holiday music. Nothing screams the start of the season more than when my Dad blasts Amy Grant's classic, "Christmas to Remember," throughout my parents home. And although I am no longer living at home...I will still request it be played the morning after Thanksgiving....when I head over there to begin preparations for the annual Black Friday Shopping trip. I love to buy and I love to give...which is why I love the holidays. There is so much excitement, love and joy when Christmas Eve rolls around. I was fortunate to grow up in a home, where we got to share in so many traditions together...many of those traditions will be passed onto my own family one day.

But I digress. Back to the event last night. I learned so much from the speaker, Donna Morin Miller, owner of betteroffwell.com. She decided to really "get healthy" when her first child was born, a time in which she made the decision to raise her child as a vegetarian. Now I am not a vegetarian myself, however, I do believe that everyone should try to be one. I sound confusing right?...What I mean is...you should incorporate vegetarian principles into your everyday diet. For example, Brad and I always try to have our veggies and greens everyday. It is so important to get your full dose of vegetables on an everyday basis. We both enjoy fish, chicken, lamb, steak, etc....but for every dinner, we accompany those meats with corn, spinach, peppers, healthy spices, etc. It is so important!

A couple other tips that I learned last night include:

1. If you are prone to sinus infections (like me) try incorporating parsley into your dishes.
2. Candles bought from stores such as Yankee candle may have been made with toxic chemicals. Instead purchase your candles from stores such as Whole Foods, where the wax comes from all natural ingredients, such as beeswax.
3. Tea Tree Oil and lavender mixed in water make for a great DIY scent for your home.
4. Recipes for delicious muffins, pastries, and bars that use Coconut Milk!

The night ended with a meditation from a Zen Minister! It was so cool! The mediation only took 5 minutes, and I have to admit...I felt so relaxed after!...Making sure to breathe all the way into your stomach is so important! For a quick try...breathe all the way into your belly and squeeze the muscles in your face and neck...then release your breathe while releasing the muscles....trust me...it works!