Tag Archives: Balance

Have You Got Hygge in Your Home?

Not that long ago, after many years of thinking I knew my ancestry, I discovered that my father actually has a rather substantial amount of Scandinavian blood coursing through his veins. So, it stands to reason, my siblings and I do too. Perhaps, this is why I took to the concept of Hygge like a cod to water.

Hygge (pronounced hue-ga) is a danish word with no direct english translation. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, it means:

A quality of cosiness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being (regarded as a defining characteristic of Danish culture.)

I can get down with being cozy especially this time of year. I am a Spring-Summer kind of gal. Winter makes me want to hibernate! Since I can’t actually sleep all season, the next best thing is having little comforts to keep me warm and cozy inside when it’s cold outside. Here are some of my Hygge-ly tips:

1. LIGHTING can make a big difference in creating a warm and nurturing atmosphere. I like the soft orange glow from this Himalayan salt lamp my sister gave me for Christmas. Candles can also provide beautiful soft light.

2. SCENTS provide a mood-lifting experience. I like blending different essential oils in a diffuser. This candle-powered one is great because it has the added benefit of lovely candlelight.

3. A WARM TREAT can be just the right balm for a weary soul on a chilly day. No further explanation needed!

4. CUDDLY FRIENDS are great any time of year but they are definitely more inclined to snuggle up in the winter.

5. DREAMING of Spring can help too. Winter is a great time to plan what you would like to do in the balmier days to come. Gardeners start planning months before the ground is warm enough to work.

Have you got any Hygge-like rituals to help get you through the winter? Please share them by leaving a comment.

The Day After Soup

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Let me apologize for the somewhat dramatic and still somehow vague title of this post. I just couldn’t think of anything else…

I went out to eat last night. The Italian food I had was quite delicious and I didn’t overindulge -I didn’t even have bread or wine- but I am having the same problem I always do the day after I eat out, salt and oil overload! Even vegetarians can’t escape the ~~liberal~~ ~~generous~~ mammoth use of salt at restaurants. I am just not used to it and feel a bit off today.

My first attempt to rebalance was to make a large smoothie:

An all fruit smoothie has a lot of natural sugar in it but I am not sweating that because it is packed with natural fiber, vitamins, micronutrients and a high water content … which I need right now.

My next order of business was to start up a nourishing vegetable soup:

Making a veggie soup once a week is one of the easiest ways to improve your health. You don’t even need a recipe. Chop up a few cups of colorful vegetables, throw them in a pot and cover them with broth or water, add spices, add heat and wait. I like to throw mine in my little crockpot. Heat on high and it’s ready in time for lunch, on low for dinner. Add pre-cooked beans and you have a complete meal. (I would suggest waiting until the last 20 minutes before adding any leafy greens to avoid over cooking.)

So, there are two of my picks to stay healthy during the holidays. How do you stay in balance this time of year?

Many blessings,

Cynthia

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Balancing Through the Holidays: Am I Grinch?

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How we doing? Are all you turkey-eaters wandering around Black Friday-Shop Small Saturday-and whatever marketers have deemed today is-sales in a tryptophan haze? Did ya drink, eat and party a little too much this week? Exercise a little too little? Okay, take three nice, slow, easy breathes. Pour yourself a big glass of water, squeeze a little lemon in it (if you have it… ) and read on.

Every year from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Eve, I kind of feel like I am holding my breath. Then on New Year’s Day, I exhale with relief that it is all over. I know there are people that wait all year long for just this time and revel in it (probably in the same way I feel about late Spring and Summer) but I imagine that I am not alone in finding all the trappings, over-indulgence and pressure of the Season a bit OVERWHELMING (if I could make that word blink like a neon sign I would.)

I gave away my Christmas decorations in 2010 and opted for just a fresh wreath on my front door ever since. I lived alone and didn’t celebrate the holidays at home. So what was I buying a tree and hanging pine boughs and lights every year for? My mom thinks it makes me a bit of a Grinch but it’s been one of my better decisions. We are all bombarded with holiday images and music everywhere we go from now until New Year’s. For me, it was really nice to pass that wreath and be at home where I can control the stimuli I am influenced by.

It is really easy to get knocked off balance by brilliant marketers who want us to consume more, our own sense of guilt and obligation to make sure other people are happy and just the sheer volume of temptation that is available this time of year. It is REALLY easy to overdo everything: spending, eating and drinking…

So, this is my suggestion: Take a pause. Before buying holiday gifts, pause and remind yourself what you can afford to spend. Before grabbing that decadent, beautiful oh-so-tempting red velvet cupcake, pause and say to yourself, “I am going to enjoy this because I make healthy choices at least 80% of the time and I exercise regularly.” (If you don’t eat healthfully and exercise regularly, pause and ask yourself, “when I am I going to determine that I am worthy of being healthy and feeling good?”) Before you grab that cocktail, pause and remind yourself what your limit is for the evening and determine to drink a full glass of water in between each drink.

Since we’re doing all this pausin’, the end of the year is a really good time to pause and reflect back on everything that has happened over the last eleven months and determine what we are grateful for. And really isn’t that Thanksgiving is all about?

By the way, I am very grateful for all the people who take time to read my blog. Thank you so much! I also really appreciate the comments, wisdom and kind words readers have shared. You guys rock!

Love and Blessings to All,