All holidays are based around the idea of fulfillment, taking care of aspects of our lives that get ignored most of the year (usually the spiritual ones!). People are working longer hours and, with the economic downturn, they are also delaying retirement. With more of our lives being spent in an office or in front of a computer, when vacation looms there is an almost audible lift to the spirits. Finally, time to catch up with family and friends! Loved ones are so important and necessary to our overall well-being, and vacation is the perfect time to make sure we catch up with them.
Another aspect of vacation that I have always looked forward to immensely is sleeping. The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) recommends that adults get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep every night. I don’t know about you, but I find that number somewhat laughable! I cannot even remember the last time in my life I consistently got so much sleep! However, according to the NSF, by not getting more shut-eye on a daily basis, I am running up my sleep debt, which I pay off during the holidays by getting more rest.
By spending more time with loved ones and getting out of bed a little later, I am fulfilling aspects of my personal and physical health that have been neglected. I love knowing that by slowing down, I am taking better care of myself! This helps me re-energize and prepare myself for the return of my normal schedule.
Unfortunately, the other side of the argument is that the holidays are also the time of the year when many people go overboard in a lot of different areas. It cannot be denied that the holidays are often used as an excuse to eat too much, spend more money than necessary and use up unbelievable amounts of resources. In an effort to make sure that I am making the holidays a positive experience and not accidentally harming myself or the earth, I made a list of some guidelines that I will be implementing this holiday season:
Personal/Physical 1) Make sure to take the time to work out. Personally, I love yoga and have a daily routine. However, sometimes I neglect this over vacation time. One of my goals this year is to make the time to keep my routine. 2) Eating moderately. Yes, the holidays are the time for delicious foods that we may not get at other times, but that is no excuse for over-indulging. Instead, drink plenty of water, eat slower and give your body time to tell your brain when it is full. It is also best to fill up on foods that not only taste good but are good for you. Then you can eat a small piece of pie without the slightest guilt! Remember, just because it is the holidays doesn’t mean that everything you eat or make has to be bad for you! A little foresight can give you fresh greens for the holidays and there are always organic options!
Eco-Friendly Choices 1) Ditch the excessive energy consumption! This year, I’m going to use real homemade candles as decorations instead of plug in lights and my Christmas tree will be plenty beautiful with only ornaments. There are some great ideas floating around about how to decorate using natural and Earth-friendly elements. One of my favorite ideas, (which I am so excited to try!) is to hang cinnamon sticks on the tree, giving it beauty and fragrance! If you absolutely can’t live without Christmas lights, think about investing in L.E.D. lights, they last longer and use less energy! Also, put all your lights on timers, so that if you fall asleep, the lights won’t run all night long without anyone to enjoy them! 2) As a child, I loved ripping wrapping paper off of gifts. As an adult, I’m making the choice to use recycled paper and to re-use gift bags. A few gifts will even be wrapped in a scarf that is part of the present! Using cloth napkins can also cut down on the amount of waste from this year. 3) Don’t waste food. This might seem an obvious tip, but I’m always amazed at the amount of waste that happens around this time! Store foods in reusable containers and freeze leftovers that can be pulled out at a later time. This will help limit the amount of food that goes bad and must be thrown out.
These are some of the things that I plan on implementing this holiday season to keep myself and my family content and happy without causing more damage to the earth. What other tips or tricks can you share with us this season?
Thanks to troycochrane, orangeacid, and kelseywhytock for the pictures!
Laura
