Ah, November. The month that doesn’t contain Halloween, or Christmas/New Years. November can often feel like it’s just an extension of the holiday season, kind of run over by the semi-truck that is Christmas! But for me, November is about appreciating all the small and big things in my life like the love of family and friends, a warm home, and purring cats. It’s a reminder to me to give thanks, to express gratitude, to gather around a bountiful table, and share what I have with others.
SMALL ACTS OF THANKS-GIVING
🤲🏼 Tell someone you’re thankful for them.
📦 Give a care package.
🙌🏼 Offer a compliment.
🦃 Give a turkey to a family in need.
🛒 Help someone with their groceries.
🍪 Bake cookies for someone.
This month is also a smart time to make sure that you have a good handle on your stress levels, or have a plan for good self-care and managing your mental health (this includes stress, depression, and problems with emotion)–before the holidays take their toll.
The really good news is that there are very accessible things we can do to that help. Getting good rest, having a regular meditation practice (as little as 10 minutes a day is very impactful), and exercising 3-5x per week. In a large 2018 study**, an analysis of 852,068 adults (out of 1.2 million surveyed) associated exercisers with 43.2% fewer self-reported mental health burdens per month than non-exercisers. All types of exercise were impactful. Mindful exercises such as yoga were associated with a 22.9% reduction in mental health issues. The optimal amount of sessions per week were 3-5x, and vigorous exercise was more favorable than light or moderate.
In closing, I invite you to try a yoga session with me (virtual yoga classes – HERE). If you haven’t tried the Insight Timer platform (it’s free and filled with thousands of short to long guided meditations). I have two offerings available, with more to come. Find them HERE. This month’s EXERCISE VIDEO OF THE MONTH: ‘SWIMMING’ is up and ready for you try. And, last but not least, The Giving Sale is now live in my shop–25% off (almost) storewide!).
In Peace,
Claudia
**(Chekroud, S.R., et al. 2018. Association between physical exercise and mental health in 1.2 million individuals in the USA between 2011 and 2015: A cross-sectional study. Lancet Psychiatry, 5 (9), 739–46.)
Claudia Fountain Fitness + Yoga 