By embracing compassion that we are all doing the best we can during a very unusual and not normal time we can ground our nervous systems, just a little bit, into ease to help us be with the quiet before the storm.

The body not only keeps the score but it also keeps a calendar. My entire body knew an anniversary of a terrifying event was coming up and this anniversary was approaching at a time when there were several stressors happening in my life. My internal protectors knew before I did that I did not have the strength or capacity to be with all I was holding and, thankfully, dropped my nervous system in a dorsal vagal state so I could get by on the bare minimum until I had more capacity on board to deal with all the things that were happening in the here and now.

Making an effort to improve your sleep quality can have big payoffs including elevated and balanced mood and sustainable energy and strength throughout the day. Here are some keys to restful sleep:

Avoid caffeine in the afternoon and evening

Establish a consistent sleep schedule

Wind down with relaxing activities

Take a break from blue lights

Sleep in a dark, cold, quiet room

Expose your eyes to sunlight when you wake up in the morning

The more we ignore and dismiss the stress that we are experiencing under the hood, the more likely we are to get sick, withdraw from others, or cannot find a way to relax and enjoy the holiday spirit.

We encourage you to give yourself gifts that are not objects but can fill you with nurturing, compassion, gratitude and connection. YOU are just as important as everyone else on your gift list!

When we disconnect from our body and stay in our head, we miss out on a connection to the deeper wisdom we can find within. Our body’s signals can often be dismissed or seen as less important than the messages we are receiving in our brains. However, it’s important to listen to our bodies, as the body is wise and can tell us what it needs to thrive.

No wonder we look at our phones so many times during the day; we are looking for that something or a distraction, a respite where we can disconnect from the feels that come up for all of us in response to our current reality. But, the distraction only gives us temporary relief - the feels don’t go away. By giving yourself a lot of time to slowly shift this habit as well as a lot of space for relapses and not judging yourself for the relapse, you can eventually become aware of what you want a distraction from and like magic, you will start looking at your phone less.