Inner Grace

Inner Grace
In women's tennis, the '00s were Serena Decade
MIAMI (AP) — Serena Williams considered skipping the 2000 Australian Open to attend design classes, then decided to play. She showed up for her first match of the year wearing red shoes, which made it easier to see her eight foot faults. She committed 55 unforced errors before outlasting a wild-card opponent ranked 261st in three sets.
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Stay Healthy and Calm During the Holidays
The holiday season is upon us and so is the darkness! This time of year brings out mixed emotions for many of us. There's a great deal of pressure to be 'out' shopping and celebrating while winter solstice invites us 'in', preparing for hibernation. This incongruence is so real that many people feel stressed and literally end up getting sick.

Winter solstice marks the time when the sun's position is the greatest distance from the equator. For us in the Northern Hemisphere, winter solstice occurs December 21st or 22nd. Interpretations and celebrations vary from culture to culture all centering on the theme of rebirth. As we move towards winter solstice we are invited to 'do' less and 'be' more. We need time to stop, reflect, and contemplate our deeper values.

While during winter solstice we move into the darkness, we can connect with our own inner light and invite the non-doing of the winter season to illuminate our lives. You might start asking yourself, "What kind of holiday season do I wish to create?" This is an opportunity to be authentic...to move through the next month in a way which reflects your own values rather than ones imposed on you.

I purposely slow down my work schedule during December. I shift my attention more to my family and friends and to festivities that center on the season. I buy fewer gifts each year and negotiate different kinds of exchanges with my kids. My favorite gifts to give and to receive are tickets to events; Broadway shows, the ballet, the symphony, rock concerts, basketball games, whatever! It's so much fun to have something to look forward to doing together. For me it's about creating memories!

I take off the last two weeks of the year relaxing at home or taking day trips to special places like Rockefeller Center or Mount Snow. I spend time reflecting on the things that happened this year that I'm grateful for. And I start to think about my intentions and goals for the New Year.

Here are some of the things I do to help me end my year peacefully that might also benefit you:

1) I walk outdoors daily if possible on my favorite walking trails. Breathing fresh air and communing with nature is critical to keeping the immune system healthy.
2) I sit by the fire with my favorite tea and call friends I haven't spoken with in a while.
3) I write in my journal. I make lists; one for the highlights of the past year and another for what I want to accomplish in the New Year.
4) I ask friends for book recommendations and build a stack which I will read over the winter.
5) I collect slow cooker recipes.
6) I closely look at my spending and savings plans and discuss with my husband our goals for the next year.
7) I light lots of white candles reminding me to stay connected to the light within.

So I invite you to be like nature, try not to resist it. Allow yourself to hibernate. Put on a few pounds and be okay with it. Be the bear or the bare tree. Get ready to make the most of this cold and inactive time of the year.

Cheryl Jones-Reardon, holds a Master's degree in Exercise Science from the University of Connecticut and a Certificate in Spirituality from Saint Joseph College. She has completed extensive training in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Cheryl is a lecturer in the Department of Mathematics, Science, and Health Careers at Manchester Community College. She presents wellness programs for a number of local hospitals and has a private practice as a fitness and wellness coach in South Windsor, CT. Join her networks: The Mindful Path: http://www.themindfulpath.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tolland-CT/The-Mindful-Path/171781536335

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