7steps

7 Steps to Post Holiday Recovery
Cher Hunter, CMT, RYT
Pain Relief Therapies

January blues. Winter slump. Financial
hangover. An extra 10 pounds to lose. Aches
and pains. Do you ever want to just skip
January?

What to do? Here are 7 steps to get your new
year off to a great start.

1. Breathe. Sit up nice and tall and take a slow
deep breath. Allow your belly to expand, filling
the lungs completely. Exhale slowly and
completely, expelling every last drop of air
possible.
2. Slow down. Recover from the harried pace of
December by changing your mindset. Repeat
three times, “I have all the time I need to do the
things I need to do.” Set priorities. Delegate.
3. Relax. Get a massage. Stress takes years off
your life and life out of your years. Taking time
to self-nurture is not a luxury but a necessary
part of good health. Take a bath instead of a
shower, add a few drops of essential oil of
lavender, and breathe.
4. Practice self care. Sign up for a Yoga class
and attend every week. Gentle beginner classes
are available for all levels of ability. If you feel
uncomfortable in a classroom setting, take a
private lesson and learn a short routine that you
can do daily. Remember you don’t do yoga
because you are flexible; you become more
flexible – and more relaxed, because you do
yoga.
5. Eat. Commit yourself to nutritional
excellence. Eat 3 pieces of fruit every day, a
large salad, lots of vegetables, including green
veggies, and a small serving of beans. Take this
3-week challenge: for just 3 weeks, eliminate
added oil and salt. Use only whole grains (i.e.
real oatmeal instead of boxed cereal, no
processed foods and no “white stuff” – no sugar,
white potatoes, white rice, white flour (bread,
pasta, etc.) Limit animal foods. Try having 3 all
veggie days each week; eliminate beef and port,
eat Alaskan fish or turkey instead.
6 Give up one “bad habit.” Choose one thing
you would like to do differently. Start fresh each
day – so if you miss the mark one day, be willing
to “just start over.”
7. Play. No one ever arrives at their death bed
wishing they had spent more time working.
Take some time each week to do something fun.