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I am sure that every country and every culture around the world has its stressful holidays. In the USA Thanksgiving in November begins the holiday season and it continues through December to New Year's Day, where many of you often have to deal with tons of guests. Along with this comes a multitude of stresses. You face shopping, cooking, cleaning, parties, entertaining, baking and more that all can add up to a mountain of stress. But you do have the power to create the peace and joy that you desire!
With some practical tips, learning to recognize common holiday triggers and qigong exercises you can easily minimize the stress and depression that often accompany the holidays and you can create a holiday that you can enjoy all using the power of your mind.
The Three Main Areas of Stress
There are many things that create stress and this varies from person to person but the three big ones are Relationships, Finances and Physical Demands.
Relationships. During the holidays relationship tension can intensify and heighten. Family misunderstandings can intensify especially if you're spending time together in close proximity. On the other hand facing the holidays without a friend or loved one can leave you feeling lonely and sad.
Finances. This is typically the biggest issue that everyone has to come to grips with. The added expenses of gifts, travel, food and entertainment really strains the budget, your peace of mind and if you overspend then the worries that arise for months to come.
Physical Demands. The shopping, the baking, the travel, the entertaining and even the decorating can leave you physically, let alone mentally, drained. Becoming run-down weakens your immune system and the fatigue and stress quite often result in illness. Your health often takes a back seat to what you believe are necessary chores and errands.
Mind Power Tips to Prevent Holiday Stress and Depression
You can use the powers of your mind to help you stop, regroup and prevent stress and depression in the first place. First I would like to point out simple mental tools that you can use and after that explore the qigong that you can do to strengthen those mental faculties and succeed at reducing your holiday stress.
Acknowledge your feelings. It is OK to stop and realize what you are feeling. Express or share your feelings and then decide, yes make a decision, to enjoy the holidays. Realize that you can choose to create your positive holiday spirit.
Be realistic. Nothing has to be perfect. Nothing has to be complete. Realize that everything changes. We all love the traditions, but as time goes on you may have to roll with the circumstances and adapt the old traditions or even create new ways to celebrate, new traditions. Change is the only constant in your reality and you can make the choice to move on in a highly positive way.
Set aside differences. You and only you have the ability to accept family members and friends as they are. You may have expectations and when others do not live up to them only you have the choice to accept the results in a positive way. You can make the choice and decide to be happy no matter what. You can choose to discuss your issues at a later time and not let the circumstances affect you. Very likely others are feeling the effects of holiday stress too.
Stick to a budget. Before you go shopping, create a budget and stick to it. Yes, it will be difficult but you can decide, you can make the choices, on how much money you can afford to spend. Happiness can not be bought with gifts. Happiness comes from the inside. Only you can decide and choose to be happy.
Plan ahead. This is a no brainer! Plan your work and work your plan. Plan your shopping, baking, visiting friends, menus and your shopping list. Decide to have things happen in an organized and orderly fashion so that you create a positive holiday experience.
Learn to say no. If you do not have the time, the money, the energy or the spirit then saying yes when you should say no will leave you feeling resentful and overwhelmed. True friends and colleagues will understand if you can't participate. If you really want to participate then make a decision to remove something less important from you plate. Remember, you never run out of time! You may just have too many activities!
Stick to healthy habits. Just because it is the holidays and time for celebration does not mean that you have to go hog-wild and over indulge in everything! overindulgence adds to your stress. Maintain healthy eating, activity, exercise and sleep habits. Remember these are actually Qigong in everyday life.
Make some time for yourself. Most everyone needs some down-time. A simple 15 minutes without distractions can have the power to refresh you enough to handle everything you need to do. And if you combine it with some easy qigong exercise then it has the power to take you to new levels of rejuvenation and inner calm.
Three Easy Qigong Exercises For Balance, Abundance and Flow
You can minimize your stress and literally remove it from your mind, body and spirit by keeping your Qi in balance, keeping your Qi abundant and keeping your Qi flowing. What follows are three easy exercises that you can use to maintain you Qi and achieve awesome holiday health.
Qi Balance - Sit relaxed and comfortable in a chair with your hands on your thighs palms facing upward. Imagine that in each palm you hold the pan from a balance (a scale). Next imagine that you are going to lift each pan one at a time into the air (about 6 inches above your thigh). Imagine that you are trying to feel the weight of the Qi that is in each pan. Which one is heavier? The right? The left?
Inhale - lift the left hand up and feel the weight
Exhale - lower the left hand and feel the weight, relax your shoulders
Inhale - lift the right hand and feel the weight
Exhale - lower the right hand and feel the weight, relax your shoulders
Repeat this at least ten times for each hand then take one very deep breath followed by a long sigh and feel completely relaxed.
Qi Abundance - Sit relaxed and comfortable in a chair with your right hand on your abdomen so that your right thumb is at the level of your navel. Place your left hand over the right hand in a similar fashion. I want you to imagine that you are blowing up a balloon and that balloon is you! And you as the balloon are going to expand and envelope the entire planet and fill the universe.
Inhale - imagine that you are gathering Qi to fill a balloon
Exhale - imagine that you are breathing Qi into the balloon and it is expanding, getting larger and larger
Repeat this at least 20 times and then lower your hands to your thighs. Feel the Qi that you have gathered, stored and shared with the universe.
Qi Flow - Sit relaxed and comfortable in a chair with your hands on your thighs palms facing upward. Imagine that you are holding two bowls and that the left one is filled with water. Now lift both bowls up off your thighs.
Inhale - imagine that you are pouring the water from the left bowl into the right bowl
Exhale - image that you are pouring the water from the right bowl into the left bowl
Repeat this at least 10 times for each side and then lower your palms to your thighs and feel the Qi flowing through your body.
In these three exercises you have used qigong breathing in combination with mind power (visualization) to create balance, abundance and flow of Qi to and through you. When your Qi is balanced, abundant and flowing you strengthen your immune system, you relax your body and your mind becomes clear. YOU CAN DO THESE EXERCISES AS OFTEN AS YOU LIKE throughout the holiday season and in fact everyday of the year to maintain minimal stress in your life and your environment.
San Qi Ping Heng Qigong uses mind power and qigong to balance your energy, Shaolin Dan Tian Qigong uses mind power and qigong to create abundant qi and Ba Dong Wu Shen Qigong uses mind power and qigong to generate qi flow. All three when used together results in a BALANCE, ABUNDANCE and FLOW of qi that can take you to a reality of awesome health.
Using "Mind Power" and "Qigong" you can easily begin to learn to create your AWESOME reality. It is possible simply by your choice to create an awesome day, create your awesome health and create your awesome world. Please share this with all your friends and families and together using Mind Power Plus Qigong WE CAN CREATE AN AWESOME WORLD.
