The Chew Tamer's Journey

As the holidays approach, many of us realize the importance of making and checking lists. We may make lists of guests to invite for Thanksgiving dinner, lists of things to do before the holiday arrives and lists of foods we want to prepare and serve. Some of the more organized among us may even have lists of lists! But during this hectic season many of us neglect to consult the most vital list of all—our self-care list. We are complex beings and must attend to ourselves—physically, emotionally, socially, spiritually and environmentally. Life in general is stressful and as the holidays draw near it is even more so. We are always on the go trying to meet the needs of others—family members, friends, and coworkers while balancing the often-difficult demands of our personal lives.

Thanksgiving is the #1 holiday of the year for travel and many of us may be heading for the airport during the coming weeks. We may find ourselves away from our homes, eating airport snacks, sleeping in unfamiliar surroundings, lacking opportunities to exercise and dealing with delays, plan changes and set backs.

Whether you are planning to join the traveling masses or to remain near home this is a perfect time to review your self-care list. Attending to your needs on all levels will insure consistent health and balance. You will look better, feel better and radiate higher energy as you attend those often-stressful holiday occasions. Following is my personal checklist.

Physically: Have I been eating well, avoiding caffeine, alcohol, saturated fats, sugar and simple carbohydrates as often as possible and eating good amounts of protein every few hours? Have I packed healthy snacks to take along, like cheese, nuts and fruit? Do I have my I-pod and earphones for music and my neck pillow for my comfort? Am I well hydrated, drinking at least 64 ounces of pure water each day? Have I been keeping regular bedtime hours, getting a sufficient amount of quality sleep? Am I keeping moderate exercise a priority in my life?

Emotionally: Have I been attending to my feelings and expressing myself appropriately; not holding in feelings or stuffing them down with unhealthy foods? Have I really been taking time to nurture myself? When was the last time I truly relaxed? I bring a journal along with me. This provides a place to vent or explore my feelings. Writing down how I feel can be very helpful. Clearing myself emotionally means I can better attend to the tasks at hand. I am less distracted or preoccupied.

Socially: Have I been spending time with positive people that I enjoy being with? Am I having fun? Am I paying enough attention to my relationships? Do I stay well connected so I don't find myself isolated and lonely? Do I apportion my time with others with the alone time I need to stay balanced?

Spiritually: Have I been taking quiet time for myself? Do I spend time every day praying, meditating or just sitting and quietly breathing? Do I remind myself often to stay in the present rather than worry about the future or hang on to difficulties from the past?

Environmentally: Have I brought what I need to set up a comfortable environment in my hotel room (perhaps a favorite photo, bath oil, small scented candle or incense)? I bring along my down pillow that I put into a compression sack. This fits easily into my suitcase and ensures that I will get a good night's sleep. (If you are staying near home, is your home in order or do you need to take a little bit of time to attend to that?)

Whether on or off the road this holiday season, it is essential to take gentle care of ourselves. Please attend lovingly to your own needs. Only by doing so can you truly appreciate the precious time you spend with others. I wish you the happiest of holidays and radiant health!

Dr. Denise
Author: The Taming of the Chew (Penguin 2002)
PO Box 933, Epping, NH 03042
tel/fax: 603-679-2432
Denise@DeniseLamothe.com
www.DeniseLamothe.com