Holiday Heart Check

The countdown is on and the travel, cooking, and conversation are about to begin. So ... how are you doing, really?

I still have 2 pumpkins 🎃 on my front porch from October but I think we are putting up our Christmas Tree this weekend 🎄. It's the season of worlds colliding but I have something fascinating to share with you that I've been learning the last 6 months.

The Amazing Nervous System

I've taken a deep dive, learning more about my nervous system over the past few months. We all know it from 6th-grade health class, but I've never known what a crucial role it plays in a woman's overall health. I'm now actively trying to notice how my body reacts to different situations or stressors (fill in all the blanks: people, places, patterns, voices, noises, etc).

It's been eye-opening, to say the least!! 😯

As you enter into a week/month of Holiday expectations and intensity, I encourage you to pay close attention to your physical responses.

• Where do you feel tension in your body or muscles?
• What changes happen in your breathing patterns?
• What causes your sleep patterns to change?

Becoming more aware of your nervous system means listening to your body's signals and responding accordingly.

Listen to this podcast on regulating your nervous system.

Here's my summary for you on regulating your nervous system:

1. Spend time in nature. Getting outside broadens your perspective on life and allows you to sip in some air. Especially letting your face see the morning light.

2. Take short breaks during the day. Stretch, walk outside, put your phone down. Mini walks throughout the day have become my new thing. Creating solitude & silence.

3. Sleep. Maybe this is why it gets so dark early in Nov/Dec! (LOL) "We are designed to sleep more during the Holiday's" 😉 Let's normalize an 8:30pm Winter bedtime.

4. Notice which friends & family bring you calm peace, keep them close. Inner-circle regulators are priceless. Text them now and tell them you love them & need them :)

5. Move your body. Yep I said it. Find yourself a gym, create a do-able home gym or subscribe to an online membership (pick ME!!) Any movement is GOOD movement.

A few other things I've realized regulate me are cooking 👩🏻‍🍳 & cleaning 🥧 I'll spare you my favorite Lysol products and share with you some awesome recipes you can make this weekend or for Thanksgiving.

RECIPES

• Italian Sausage Pasta Soup
• Oven Roasted Baby Potatoes
• Garlic Butter Chicken Meatballs with Creamy Orzo
• Harvest Fall Salad with Caramelized Shallot Dressing
• Applesauce Crumb Cake
• Gluten Free Peanut Butter Blossoms

Stay tuned early next week as I'll be sending you a once-a-year discount on my fitness membership to use yourself or share with friends & family.

In the meantime, press play with me next week to feel better mentally and physically during a hectic week!