Find some peace in the festive chaos

With Christmas fast approaching, the time of festivities to laugh and be merry is upon us. But it’s also the time for your bank account to take an unfortunate knock of depletion with the strenous spending on parties, nights out, Christmas gifts, accompanied with the stress of revising for upcoming exams and pressure to be ecstatically joyful with it notably being the ‘most wonderful time of the year’.

Here are some of our go-tos to regain some inner peace this holiday season:

1. Detox your mind with Your Soul Is A River by Nikita Gill

    

   

   The London based poet and visual artist released the perfect antidote to calm the storms of your soul in 2016 with this cosy read that went on to be a bestseller. The poetry collection is “all about dealing with trauma and sadness, growing from loss and sad experiences, closure and the value of your soul and life’s most beautiful gifts—love, nature, the cosmos, and what they can teach you about yourself.”

2. Be one with the ocean

    

   

   Whilst you can’t swiftly book yourself a quick trip to Barbados and relax by the beach to get away from life’s stressors, you can get the next best thing and transport yourself there audibly. Practicing deep breathing exercises alongside ocean sounds and practicing visualisation techniques for at least 10 minutes a day can provide you with a stress detox in those heightened moments of anxiety.  Calmsound provides a variety of ocean sounds promising an ‘oasis of relaxation’ providing you a first class click to the sound of all the world’s most calming seas.

3. Keep your mind at bay
   

   Slow down the pace of life by becoming well acquainted with your thought processes and having control over them with the help of mindfulness. Whilst you can’t control the circumstances around you at times, one thing you can control is how you respond and handle everything up there.

   Headspace is an app that provides guided meditation sessions with the aim to ‘cultivate awareness and compassion’ to make the world and ourselves happier.

   Meditation is said to help you sleep better, stress less and help you have healthier relationships. So, it’s an ideal tool to download to your smartphone to invest in looking after yourself first and you’ll be more able to enjoy the company to your loved ones this holiday season.

4. When in doubt, sweat it out
   

   Scheduling a solid 30 minutes everyday to be active is a great way to get your butt in shape as well as boost those feel-good chemicals (serotonin and endorphins) to keep your energy out and sweat out any negative energy. Try spinning, running or HIIT training – just a few sure fire ways to revive your energy levels.

5.  Be your own pep rally

   

   Not to be cheesy, but there’s nothing wrong with giving yourself positive affirmations. Even if you feel you’re farthest from where you’d like to be, give it up for yourself that you’re doing your best. You’re only as happy as your mindset so aim to think and speak more positively in all of your circumstances and expect to see things shift, your voice has more power than you think.