Pre Christmas Dips

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November, it’s a funny time of year, the clocks have changed and we find ourselves unceremoniously plunged into darkness, suddenly we want to sleep more, eat more and generally do less. It’s too early to get excited about Christmas and the very thought of it can make a number of us a little grumpy. I have to confess that for me the first day of November came with a compelling urge to tuck myself away quietly until sometime around March, a lingering virus, lack of exercise and a slight detraction from my usually healthy eating habits did little to abate this compulsion.

 

Modern life has evolved into a state where we put a lot of pressure on ourselves to perform, achieve and succeed, not only in our careers but also in every aspect of our lives. We are constantly fed visions of perfection through the unceasing tide of communication that is modern media. Perfect bodies, perfect homes, perfect lives, homemade and handcrafted to pinterest perfection but passed off as nothing, an affected effortlessness that does little to comfort those of us who are not handy with crafts, perfect size 10s or master bakers at the weekends.

 

Utterly exhausting… but exceptionally so at a time in the year where we can’t easily find our where our circadian rhythm has hidden our energy. So what can we do to shelve the want to hibernate and keep ourselves buoyant?

 

Well this is how we’re rolling in the garden room…

 

Rosemary essential oil to revitalise the body and allay mental lethargy, naiouli to bolster the immune system whilst surrounded by seasonal bugs, and cypress oil to keep us calm and positive. These oils are giving us a delightfully aromatic, and slightly overdue prod, here’s a few more things to try…

 

As is often the case just going about your business in a more conscious manner can be really helpful, stopping for a moment and taking a deep breath can help you to enjoy the simple things, take in the scenery on your drive to work or school, let your gaze linger a little longer on those beautiful russet winter hues, enjoy those warming winter soups and stews, enjoy every mouthful consciously and guilt free.

 

Accept that giving yourself a little time out is ok. It can feel like an over indulgence to award a bit of time off when your already feeling slack but ditching the dishes for a bracing walk or run will pay you dividends in energy and give you a quick return. So do take a break (even if only from the couch) – go outside and get some vitamin D from the winter sun, go and enjoy a book, put a record on, or come and redress the balance with a restorative reflexology treatment, remember the loveliest and busiest part of the season is just around the corner and you’ll need as much energy as you can muster to survive!

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