Holiday Shopping: Top 5 Tips for Staying Sane

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Holiday Helper Series


1 Looking for parking
Full disclosure: I don’t like driving in the city, and searching for parking just makes me pissed off. A few yogic tools help prevent me from tackling the Christmas spirit.
– Breathing really really deeply, doing that deep yogic breath. I’ll even undo the button on my pants (hey, yoga teachers can wear tight jeans, too) so I can breathe deep into my belly. Just don’t forget to do that button back up before you get out of your car!
– Playing relaxing music. I’m a yoga music fanatic. A couple faves:
Savasana 2 by Wah!
Like The Wind in the Trees by Deuter
– Taking the bus.

2 Waiting in line
A mini standing meditation is much nicer than mentally skewering the person in front of us counting their change. (Guilty as charged ;)
– Take Tadasana and focus on breathing deeply.

3 Navigating mall crowds
I have a friend who’s of the opinion that “Mall madness during Christmas shopping is just part of the fun of the season!” She must be from a different planet.
– I like to try to walk a tiny bit slower. This helps me to drop into my body, which keeps my body calmer, my mind calmer, and helps me stay present (rather than caught up in the crowds projecting “I still have to buy this many more presents!”).

4 Handling stressed-out sales people
This is a toughie. Because when Mr. Snooty snaps at our request for help, it’s easier to consider projecting ourselves out of the store, than remembering we get what we project.
– Take a deep exhale, splash on a smile, and speak slowly and clearly. He might be so relieved to have a calm, friendly person on his hands that he goes the extra mile.

5 Better yet: Shop online
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