5 Tips for a Mindful Holiday Season
The holiday season is upon us and many of us are looking forward to spending quality time with loved ones and enjoying all the festivities. At this time of year, the joy and magic of the season can often slip away, while the stress of planning the perfect occasion takes a front row seat.
There is a lot of pressure on making this a holiday season to remember, but what if we could help you to remove some of that pressure and learn to survive and thrive? We’ve compiled our Top 5 mindfulness tips that you can easily integrate into your life during the holiday season to enjoy it in a deeper and more profound way.
Reminder: Mindfulness is simply the state of being conscious or aware of something.
1. Beat the guilt cycle by eating mindfully
For many of us, the holiday season puts our healthy eating habits to the ultimate test. At The Chateau it can be hard to resist all the delicious, classic holiday treats that our culinary team prepares. It seems that we let all notions of health and wellness slip away at this time of year and as a result, we set ourselves up for feeling guilty. Mindfulness can allow you to fully experience the joy of eating – minus the guilt.
Enjoy all the flavours of the holiday season by slowing down as you eat and savouring each bite. Chew, and then chew again. Remember, it takes 20 minutes for your body to realize it’s full, so this will help to avoid overeating. Try putting less food on each forkful to help you eat more slowly.
If you need some help with achieving this, learn more about how we can teach you how to redefine the act of eating with mindful and clinical psychology practices.
2. Count your blessings
No matter how busy you are, practicing gratitude is one thing you need to remember to do. Research shows that expressing gratitude will make you happier and healthier. Many studies have revealed that being thankful increases life satisfaction and optimism and contributes to reducing depression and anxiety. Spend five minutes each night reflecting on all the positive highlights of your day. Think about how blessed you are for the people that are in your life and look at the big picture as well. The best part is, it costs nothing.
Remember that you’re responsible for your own happiness and nobody can provide it to you, even during the holiday season.
3. Listen mindfully
Every interaction is an opportunity to listen mindfully. As you listen to someone speak, focus all of your attention on what they’re saying. Don’t let your mind wander and don’t succumb to the impulse of interrupting. As a result, you will feel calmer and at peace and they in turn, will feel deeply grateful and valued. As Simon Wells said, “attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity.”
This tip can also be applied while in nature. In Lake Louise, take your experience to another level by engaging with the sound of snow falling off a tree branch, the crunching of the snow under your feet, children giggling on the ice and the bells ringing on our sleigh rides around the lakeshore.
4. Get outdoors
While our exercise routines often go out the window during the holiday season, it’s important to still get outdoors at least once a day. After a meal, go for a walk outside instead of lounging about on the couch. This will help with digestion and studies have shown that it can help to lower blood pressure and stress levels as well. Focus on staying in the moment by concentrating on your surroundings.
In Lake Louise, you will find a plethora of trails accessible right from our doorstep. Get outside and explore our winter wonderland!
5. R&R Time
It’s so easy to actually forget to rest during the holidays. Avoid becoming burned out from traveling and socializing by getting enough rest. Whether it’s enjoying a deep sleep in a Fairmont bed or simply sinking back in an armchair and soaking in the view, resting and recharging your batteries will go a long way. Adopt a daily ritual to clear your mind and re-center yourself.
Explore mindfulness in greater depth with our longest running retreat Mindfulness and Yoga. Or perhaps you’d prefer the trifecta: Mindfulness, Meditation and Yoga Retreat. View the complete listing.
We hope your holiday season is as magical as ours! Wishing you a Merry Christmas and all the best for 2018.
With gratitude,
Kim
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