It’s that time of year again and we are feeling the pressure as we are only 13 days away from Christmas. I haven’t even started my shopping or even thought about what to get everyone.
My younger ones lists are long and I’m trying to figure out what to tell everyone to buy them & what Santa is bringing.
Plus, we have to think about buying for teachers, coaches, extra activities teachers, sitters, co-workers, friends, etc. Honestly, I make life easy & just bake up a few batches of cookies to give to the teachers with a Gift Certificate & a Skin Deep book to show my appreciation.
You can easily grab facial Gift Certificates or Skin Deep books for those amazing people in your life who you want to buy for but are unsure of what to get. The best part is you can buy Gift Certificates from your iPhone and print them off at home in 5 minutes or less.
Are you suffering from extra breakouts?
Breakouts
are related to stress! When we stress, not only do we produce more
cortisol but we tend to eat less healthy and/or drink more wine or
cocktails because it takes the edge off.
Stress levels tend to be sky-high during the holiday season because we still have our daily lives to attend to, but we add in holiday parties, shopping, wrapping presents, prepping for holiday dinners & family gathers, kids’ gifts, etc.
No wonder why people are suffering from bad skin this time of year!
How does stress affect our skin?
When we stress, our bodies go into fight or flight mode, thinking it’s being attacked. It begins to produce more cortisol, plus our adrenaline increases and our body goes into this hightened state.
We reach for foods that aren’t healthy because we aren’t thinking clearly or aren’t making the time to take care of ourselves. Stress affects our brains when we are feeling pressure, thus we choose to stop cooking healthy and grab for foods that are quick, easy and convenient.
We already know these unhealthy eating habits aren’t doing our bodies any good and leads to weight gain, exhaustion and yep, you guessed it, bad skin!
Then we suffer from those ugly zits that pop up in the worst spots and at the worst time. Those are the ones that never seem to go away either. You feel like everyone’s staring at that ugly growth on your face.
You try to hide it with makeup, but the makeup makes it look even worse.
How can you de-stress this holiday season?
Here are 5 simple tips that you can do in less than 5 minutes:
1. Close your eyes & take 5 slow, deep breaths.
You can do this step in your car at a stoplight, train or while waiting for your kids in the school line.
This is great to do because when you’re focusing on your breath, you’re not stressing about what’s on your never-ending To-Do list.
Stop and allow yourself 5 deep breaths a few times a day, your mind will thank you.
2. Make yourself a cup of tea before bed.
Whole Foods sells a brand of tea, called Organic India. I LOVE the Tulsi Sleep Tea. It relaxes my body and warms me up before bed, I’ve been sleeping so well.
You can even grab de-stress teas to drink throughout the day. I also LOVE Starbucks’ Comfort Tea which is caffeine-free, so I can drink it anytime.
3. Get up an extra 10 minutes early and sit with a hot cup of coffee before the kids get up.
It’s nice to sit in silence knowing that everyone is still sleeping and you get a few minutes to yourself where no one is talking, whining, fighting or needing you.
If getting up early isn’t your thing, you should give it a try. I personally love getting up early. The house is dark, silent and you can sit alone with a hot cup of coffee and sip it, rather than chug it down while making lunches or the kids’ breakfasts. You KNOW you’re not enjoying that cup of coffee if that’s how your mornings are.
4. Schedule yourself a massage or facial
Taking time out of your busy life just for you tells your body and your mind that YOU are worth it.
We all know when traveling that if an emergency occurs, we have to put OUR oxygen masks on first.
Why?
We are of NO use to anyone else if our fuel tank is depleted. Scheduling yourself a massage or facial during a stressful time is one of the best things you can do for yourself.
5. Go for a quiet walk alone
This could be as quick as walking to the end of the block and back home. If you have time, spend 20 minutes out walking.
Bundle yourself up, pump some fun jams and let your mind wander. This is the best medicine if you’re feeling stressed or have a lot on your mind.
Walking clears your mind and helps you focus and see things clearer during stressful times.
If you have any other ideas, please share in the comment section below.
Happy Holidays from my family to yours!
XO
Samantha
