The holidays are often portrayed as a time of joy and celebration, but for many, they bring added stress, grief, and feelings of being overwhelmed. We have heard from many that this season in particular is one of the worst.

While stress and grief originate from different sources, the result in our bodies is the same: emotional and nervous system dysregulation. With the holidays fast approaching, we want to provide you with practical tips you can implement at home, as well as suggestions for how our center can help usher in the season with more joy and peace than you’ve experienced in years past.

We hear you—you may not believe that’s possible because life has been really tough this year. We’ve been there. But know this: you may not be jumping for joy like George in It’s a Wonderful Life, but even small steps can lead to feelings of peace that you wouldn’t believe were possible, despite the battle raging around you. Are you willing to give it a try? We hope so.

Here are some tips and techniques you can begin implementing right now:

1) Traditions are made for change.

Yes, we grow up believing tradition is something immovable, something that must remain the same through generations. But if you have a “tradition” that isn’t serving you this season, change it up! Make it new and exciting. Or skip it this year and come back to it if and when you are ready.

2) Acknowledge your emotions.

The worst thing you can do is stuff your feelings or ignore them and pretend they aren’t there. According to the book Feelings Buried Alive Never Die those feelings and emotions are “registered in every fiber, nook and cranny of your Be-ing! Yes, all of it has been recorded in the DNA of your cells…in your flesh…it creates a heaviness in you.” And that is what you feel, the heaviness.

a. Do you feel Angry? Flip the script and write or repeat the statements “I choose forgiveness. I am forgiving. I choose to forgive. I am trusting that forgiveness is becoming a part of my heart, mind and body.”

b. Do you feel Betrayed? Flip the script and write or repeat out loud the statements “I choose peace. I choose love. I feel peace and love in every cell of my body.”I choose to forgive. I feel love and peace for ____”

c. If you have done exercises like this in the past and you feel like they haven’t helped please watch this video. You can even skip ahead if you like to the 20:00 minute mark to hone in on this topic.

3) Redefine joy

Joy is not perfection. It’s not always accompanied by huge smiles or laughter. Sometimes, joy is simply a warm feeling or the sense of a small accomplishment. Some examples could be:

a. Getting out of bed: Some days, grief and overwhelm can feel stifling, and you may not want to get out of bed. But if you do it anyway, celebrate! Literally give yourself a high-five. If you decide to stay in bed that day, do so with peace and joy for the moment.

b. Finding comfort in a memory of someone you’ve lost: If a memory comes to mind and brings you even a small sense of comfort, count that as joy.

c. Enjoying the sunshine: If the sun is shining through, count that as joy.

d. Noticing nature: If a bird comes and sits on the railing of your deck or in a nearby tree, and you notice it, count that as joy.

Starting now, come in and use our equipment that consistently leaves clients feeling calm and relaxed:

• Theta Chamber: Rewire your neural pathways as you relax in the spinning pod.
• LED Bed: Balance your brain, release emotions, and let the frequency and light therapy calm you inside and out.
• PEMF: Our PEMF uses heat and multiple frequency settings leaving clients feeling relaxed and calm.
• Hyperbaric Chamber: Although designed for cell regeneration, our walk-in hyperbaric chamber—with its calming, dim environment—has clients praising it for leaving them so relaxed and peaceful.
• Inner Hydrogen: Breathing hydrogen in our peaceful setting is not only a powerful antioxidant but help release anxious feelings and instill calm.