So THE season is in full swing.  We are in the midst of shopping, wrapping, decorating, baking, and partying.  And I just want you to stop amidst all the hustle, bustle and freezing cold to ask yourself - how am I feeling?  What do I need right now?  Check in with your body while you still have time to make some adjustments.  3 things that I think are really crucial right now are: 

• enough sleep- whether it means a nap in the midst of your wrapping while dad is distracting the kids.  Or maybe you can nap in the tub before you head to the party?  Or maybe you head home from a party as soon as you feel tired.  Or you skip one engagement on the weekend so everyone in the family can have a quiet day.
• wash your hands - religiously!  The cold and flu season lasts way longer than this holiday season.  If you have kids that bring home every bug daily or you happen to go out in public to travel or shop, your chances of picking something up really increases.  So wash with soap and water while you sing Happy Birthday.  Keep a great lotion with you because your hands will dry out something fierce.  but that's a small price to pay to avoid all the bugs.  And of course this is connected to my number one health preventer - SLEEP!
• wash your fresh vegetables and fruit well - this time of year things are coming from farther afield so who knows what has landed on your orange or tomato.  Give it a good rinse before you dig in.

Here are some shifts in attitude we can make that might help the holidays go a little smoother:

• Consider the idea that nervous energy is selfish energy.  So if you are anxious about something like hosting a dinner party, remember that it is about the guests, not about you.  That could calm you down and allow you to focus on the event.
• Take a moment to look at the sky - did you notice the last full moon we had, or all the stars on a clear night.  That gaze can bring you out of your own holiday dramas to see that you  - and the dramas - are just a small part of the Universe.  That can really allow you to let go and let yourself shine.
• Consider that you can't control every situation.  All you can control is your response to it. 
• And the big question - what do the holidays mean to you?  Define it and ensure that those are the things you are doing.  Is it helping others?  Is it about friends and family?  Is it time to start finding new traditions and spaces?

Here is the Christmas card we sent out this year.  I loved the quote and thought it went perfectly with the picture.  All the best in 2009 everyone!  Here is to your health and happiness.  May I help you feel empowered to find that balance.

Quotes:
To me, every hour of the day and night is an unspeakably perfect miracle.  Walt Whitman
It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live.  Marcus Aurelius