Self Care. 3

The holiday season, while fun and joyous for many, can also be a tough go.    You may miss family members who have passed and feel sad and worried about changing times.  If you don’t have family, or finances are strained, the extra pressure of holiday expectations, real or imagined, can bring you down.   The stress can make it harder to exercise and eat well.  Emotional overeating and drinking are common coping mechanisms of the season.  Temptations are everywhere. I’ve had to wrestle myself away from fresh loaves of Stollen all week, not to mention tins of biscuits.  So what are some care tactics that can help if the season starts to wear on us?  Develop a go-to re-set such as a breathing break.  Find a quiet spot, consider lighting a candle and/or incense, close your eyes and take deep breaths in and out of the nose for 5-12 minutes.   Repeat a helpful mantra.  One I learned this week is “Not perfect, not permanent, not personal.”  Nothing is perfect, rarely so anyway, no relationship, workout, job, or neighbourhood, to name a few.  Nothing is permanent, change being the only constant. If you are having a hard time remember, this too will pass, ride out the storm and try not to do more damage with ineffective coping strategies.  And strive not to take things personally.  Easier said than done and a hard one for me.   I’ll admit to taking many matters more personally than necessary leading to unnecessary angst.   This “challenge” may rear its head during the holidays.  If it does, try to use it as an opportunity to get unhooked from this dynamic. Breathe and re-set yourself.

For self care, let’s feed our brains well this December.   As we focus on what we feed our bodies, let’s do the same with the thoughts entering into our minds.  Feed your brain wholesome, positive thoughts,  (avocados), “It is ok to feel sad about x” vs negative messages (a chocolate bar) “Get over it already.”   Don’t spend any time getting down on yourself for any difficulties you may be experiencing.   Cut self slack.  There is extra stress hanging over heads with the unknowns we are facing on a daily basis right now.   Unchartered waters for most. Hang in there and get in some extra walks, breathing breaks and workouts.  This Christmas season is an opportunity to break new ground.  Less obligations at hand due to COVID restrictions may reduce some of our obligations and give us more time for restoration and renewal for 2021.

Athletics Friday 45  4pm 12.4.2020

Broomstick Warm-Up:

2 rounds:

10 shoulder pass throughs

10 leg swings forward/back/side to side

10 good mornings

10 slow broomstick deadlifts

1 round:

10 rocks to sky reach

20 hamstring roll outs

WOD:

5 rounds:

30 push-ups

20 Deadlifts (155/105)

200 m run

60 second plank

Cool Down:  20 Bird Dogs. 20 rocking dragons (10 per side), lying hamstring stretch, thread the needle, child’s pose.

WOD notes:  Find light to moderate deadlift weight allowing set of 20 to be completed in 1-2 sets.  Reduce push-up reps to complete in 2:30. Max 60 second spent in plank, if you break include in time.

Home Gym:  Run sub = 75 seconds mountain climbers or jack jumps.  Deadlift sub could be a kettle-bell swing or odd object ground to overhead, increase reps to 25-30 if light weight.