04 Dec Holiday Time with a little help from your Solar Plexus
Ask Giovanna!
Wendy Reichental and Giovanna Daniele
For some, December signifies a time of joy, blessed celebrations and a rush of excitement. For others, it becomes a time of panic, stress and feeling overwhelmed. So, in our last Q & A of the year, Giovanna and I will keep it short and offer our best advice for staying relaxed with a little help from your solar plexus!
Giovanna, during this hectic time, many of us are running on adrenal energy, trying to cope with a dizzying array of demands while balancing work, family, and a pandemic. The holiday season could bring about more than just surprise guests. It could also bring about unwelcomed physical problems, like overwhelming fatigue and stress. We know it’s easier said than done, but what are a few of your best tips for minimizing the tensions that so often accompany the holidays.
GD: The holidays have always been a mixed bag of emotions for me, as it must be for everyone. We look forward to gathering safely with family and friends and want so much to have everything ready and perfect, but at some point, you realize you are far from ready. In fact, you have nothing figured out, and that is when the panic and stress take over. The key is to plan ahead whether that’s completing a grocery list, figuring out your menus, or deciding what type of gift-giving you want to do. Grab a notebook and write your thoughts and itemize your priorities. Alternatively, the holidays do not have to be about gifts. We are living through exceptional times, adjust to these circumstances, you can switch things up and make this holiday season about spending time with those that matter most to you and gifts could be about capturing those moments with photos or simply giving the gift of experiences. You could donate to a charity, or give homemade gifts. Get creative and keep it simple.
My second tip for managing stress during the holidays is learning to say “NO”. We want to please everyone and not disappoint, but the one person you are disappointing when you agree to take on too many tasks is yourself. Saying yes when you really mean no can leave you feeling resentful and overwhelmed. So, repeat after me and politely say “NO”.
My third tip is don’t neglect your health. Avoid letting the holidays become a free-for-all. My rule of thumb is to get plenty of sleep and what helps with this is to include regular physical activity in your daily routine. I will always recommend walking around the block as my go-to exercise. Find an activity you enjoy and make some time for yourself. It could be to just practice deep breathing, meditation or yoga.
And if I can sneak in one more – it is to practice some reflexology on yourself or seek a full-body sequence session with a registered reflexology therapist to restore inner calm and reduce stress. Remember that reflexology acts on the whole body, and reflexologists do not treat specific conditions or ailments.
All excellent suggestions, and to expand on using reflexology, why is the solar plexus so important and where is it on the feet?
GD: The solar plexus point on the feet represents our core energy and emotional grounding point. The solar plexus, in actuality, is a tight network of nerves, in the middle of the abdomen, below the diaphragm, and is part of the sympathetic nervous system. When we are feeling overwhelmed and stressed, the diaphragm will be tight too. When we relax, the tension in our solar plexus and diaphragm will release, allowing us to breathe easier.
In addition, what makes working this area so beneficial is that it not only helps with reducing tensions, but it can also be a spot related to boosting energy. Is that right?
GD: Absolutely, during this time of year, when we are low in energy, stimulating this spot of the solar plexus will also help to increase energy levels.
After a few minutes, you’ll notice that your breathing deepens, your overall tension loosens, and you feel much more relaxed.
There we have it, all great tips and a reminder how reflexology can go a long way to reduce the effect of stress by putting the body in a state of complete relaxation, releasing tensions, improving nerve function and aiding overall health and wellbeing. The only thing reflexology can’t do is transform me into a better cook. Too bad there’s no reflex point for that!
GD: We’ll have to work on that one Wendy!
Bruce Harris
Posted at 20:45h, 04 DecemberThanks for the December blog. I love the illustrations and always look forward to seeing the next month! Keep up the good work.