Never mind the line-ups at the mall; it’s the airport crowds that can really keep us from feeling the Christmas spirit.
Top 5 Stress Busting Travel Tips 1 Start small I firmly believe that the way we start the day is the way it continues. So if we lurch out of bed to an adrenaline-inducing alarm clock, race to the shower, rush through hair and make-up, grab a protein bar on the run to the taxi–dragging our suitcase behind us–it’s bound to be a bliss-busting day.
No matter how early our flight is, or how early we need to get up, we can take just five minutes to feel calm. Simply sitting still, even in bed, and breathing deeply, crown reaching up, chin slightly tucked, spine tall, can transform the rest of our day. (And if we take half an hour?Ahhhhh, beeeauuutiful.)
2 Laugh it Off A little sense of humour goes a long way. And our mind is sometimes like a stand-up comedian playing the part of the extremely neurotic aged aunt. So when we notice ourselves thinking “Aaak! If we take five minutes to find peace we’ll never make the plane! We’ll miss our connecting flight! Aaak!”, things can come into a place of perspective if we can laugh at ourselves.
3 Love the Airport To find peace in pilot land, we can start by getting there early. If we assume things are going to take longer than we think, and get there a little early, we’ll have lots of time to get places, and can sit and read, or watch a movie, once we’re there. We can even make walking around a bliss booster, by just moving a millisecond slower.
4 Plane Perfection To get goodness on the plane, we can wear comfy clothes–a loose waistband is key, so we can breathe deep to be at peace–bring an iPod packed with music that makes us happy; and take a few seated body movements to release and prevent aches and tension.
5 Dream Destination Crashing on your in-laws pull-out couch not quite your dream holiday getaway? We can see what we can do to make whatever space we’re in the best it can be. If we take a moment before we leave our home to notice what it is about it that makes us feel good, we can try to recreate that in little ways. – keeping the space tidy – hanging up our clothes – bringing a shawl that can double as a blanket on the plane and on our host bed – some people even bring a candle – healthy snacks that work really well for our system help a lot during the holidays