Keeping well during the holiday season #earthfootwear

 

With Christmas just 20 days away the thought of maintaining wellness may be the last thing on your mind. Let me stop you there. If you have ever taken a plane ride, you know that in the event of an emergency, you must apply your own oxygen mask before helping others.

The same concept applies to keeping well during the holidays or any time during the year. If you are not well, you cannot be your best and you and your family will suffer.

Here are my tips for maintaining wellness:

Sleep well: Turn off those to-do lists bouncing around in your brain and get some sleep. How often do you notice that your child behaves differently -unruly or sluggish- when they don't get the proper amount of rest? The same thing applies to you too, Mom! Your tolerance level and memory definitely falls short when your sleep deprived.

Eat healthfully: With all of the baking and holiday parties on your agenda, make time to eat right. It may be tempting to put off your healthy regime until after the 1st of the year but it will not make you happy. Having a balanced diet will help improve your mood and overall stamina. Don't let the carbs and sugar put you in a trance.

Get moving: It's getting cold, which naturally makes us want to snuggle up and hibernate. Don't do it! Get up and get moving. If you just walk 30 mins a day, you can boost circulation, improve your mood and helps release some of that extra holiday stress.

Feed your spirit: Don't put off your devotions and prayer during the holiday rush. Not only is it the reason for the season but your faith is the most imprtant tool in your wellness toolbox. We all have people that rub us the wrong way, remember your faith and grace... Let those comments go!

Laugh often: Don't forget to laugh. While you may have spent 4 hours on a project that resulted in a less than stellar outcome. Remember, it is the journey- the process -not the result that will be remembered. Laughing in itself relieves stress and makes everyone around you feel more comfortable. A smile makes everyone feel welcome.


Happy Holidays! Be well :)

Disclosure: I wrote this blog post while participating in the Bookieboo and Earth Footwear "All's Well That Ends Well" blogging program, making me eligible to win a pair of Earth Footwear boots. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

#FREE Kindle eBOOK: Fireflies in December

I was so excited to see Fireflies in December avaiable for FREE for Kindle.  I have been waiting to read this book. Please don't miss your FREE opportunity to download. Read it later, if you want. It has a glowing 4 1/2 stars based upon 85 reviews...

From Booklist

Little does anyone realize that simple Christian charity will inflame the bigots and hatemongers in this small Virginia town. Escalating episodes of horrific violence ensue, including sexual attacks directed at 13-year-old Jessilyn Lassiter, the novel’s narrator, after her white family takes in her black best friend, Gemma, when she is orphaned by a tragic fire. Winner of the Christian Writers Guild’s 2007 Operation First Novel contest, Valent has created a darkly evocative historical novel that boldly explores the divisive effects of unreasoning hatred, greed, and fear on a community already struggling with the economic and racial tensions caused by the Depression and exacerbated by the Ku Klux Klan. As these forces impact one family, childhood innocence is lost, but Valent’s characters also experience the affirmation of a deeper, more lasting faith. --Lynne Welch

Review

"When her best friend Gemma's parents are killed in a house fire, Jessilyn Lassiter's parents take the girl in. Trouble is, the year is 1932, Gemma is black, the Lassiters are white, and they live in a small Virginia town. Spunky Jessilyn is 13 years old, but her story will appeal to readers of all ages. Winner of the Christian Writers Guild's 2007 Operation First Novel contest, Valent's debut is both heartwarming and hand-wringing as it shows how one family endured the threats small and large of a prejudiced community while maintaining moral integrity. The cast of characters is rich. Jessilyn's mother wrestles with the social cost of challenging convention, her father is a dream dad and the neighbor's wisdom is as spicy as her cake. Jessilyn's romantic interest and penchant for trouble keep the tone light while the plot reminds readers of the evil that ordinary human beings are capable of doing, even in the name of righteousness. The book stares down violence and terror, making its affirmation of surprising goodness believable." --Publishers Weekly, December 1, 2008, starred review

Little does anyone realize that simple Christian charity will inflame the bigots and hatemongers in this small Virginia town. Escalating episodes of horrific violence ensue, including sexual attacks directed at 13-year-old Jessilyn Lassiter, the novel's narrator, after her white family takes in her black best friend, Gemma, when she is orphaned by a tragic fire. Winner of the Christian Writers Guild's 2007 Operation First Novel contest, Valent has created a darkly evocative historical novel that boldly explores the divisive effects of unreasoning hatred, greed, and fear on a community already struggling with the economic and racial tensions caused by the Depression and exacerbated by the Ku Klux Klan. As these forces impact one family, childhood innocence is lost, but Valent's characters also experience the affirmation of a deeper, more lasting faith. --Booklist, December 1, 2008

FREE Kindle EBOOK: Fireflies in December by Jennifer Erin Valent