2014 has been a great year. There are things to be thankful for always; health, family, and the bread and butter on our tables. May our lives be filled with meaningful people, events and causes in 2015 and beyond. Today, I just wanted to share a couple of things that make any holidays, traditional or cultural events more joyful and easy.

1. Its not just about the rest, it is about fun and moving also:
Most people associate holidays with eating and certain types of foods, but having some activities and fun (snow tubing, skiing, hiking, etc.) might bring us more motivation and energy…

2. Take meaningful presents
When visiting others during holidays, give meaningful presents, things that you know people will need and use rather than the fancy new toy of the year. Don’t go empty handed anywhere that you have been invited…

3. Stay physically active
During holidays we tend to gain weight, having a schedule to do exercise or simply doing the chores at home will help shed some of the pounds away and we may even manage to lose some weight!

4. Stay stress free
Holidays bring their own stress, with in-laws visiting, cousins/neighbors involvement, their expectations, ways of doing things, etc. The key to stress free holidays is planning ahead and one way to do this is to keep things simple (prune the to-do list, call don’t send cards, cut the gift list, etc) Get in touch with people that you love the most, and do the things that make you feel peaceful!

5. Organize your life
Studies show that a minor sight of cluttering puts us on the edge, organization offers a sense of control and peace of mind, and there’s a number of ways we can improve in this regard. Having a little bit of tidy up time everyday, making a small to do list for those dreadful drawers can help us feel better, and lets remember: one task at a time…

6. Sleep early
Studies have shown that not having enough sleep can also cause weight gain. During the holidays going to bed early as much as possible and keeping a healthy sleeping and eating pattern can help with having fun and peaceful times. No one wants a sleep deprived grouchy Christmas person hosting or being a guest.

After all, like anything else, holidays is about to have and find the balance that keeps us happy!
Enjoy and be present in the moment always!
Cheers!

Nilay Ertemur