Who doesn’t love the Holidays?  Still, with all the wonderful things about the season many of us find ourselves feeling overwhelmed and STRESSED!!

We understand!  Take a look at our Holiday Survival Guide.  We hope it makes your time with family and friends filled with more thankfulness and joy!

  • Just Keep Moving!  Everyone knows about the happy hormones released when you exercise.  Take advantage of them.  The benefits of exercise can last up to 12 hours!  So make sure you make time to hit the gym.  For more information on our holiday schedule, head here.
  • Get Out & Move!  We talked about exercising in our fitness tip…so you already know its benefits, but what if you can’t make it to the gym?  Take a walk.  So grab a leash and take your dog for a stroll or escape the party for a quiet walk around the block with your significant other.  The fresh air and movement will both help to fight stress!
  • What’s Gonna Work….TEAM WORK!  If you are stressed, ask for help.  If you are in charge of whipping up the thanksgiving feast, don’t do it alone…ask for support.  Plus, doing anything with a buddy is much more fun!  That includes working out –  we’ve got a great membership BOGO (BOGO half off) deal going on now, for more details see the front desk or membership office.
  • Give Thanks!  You are what you think so put your focus on the good things in your life.  Take a moment to find something you are thankful for and share it with someone or write it in a journal!
  • Smile & the World Smiles With You!  There is more than one reason that smiling made our survival list.  First, when you smile (even if it is forced) your brain is wired to notice and adjust your emotions accordingly.  Smiling could actually help you change the mood of a room…if you smile at someone they just may smile back at you!
  • Borrow Joy.  Allow yourself to take on the emotions of the positive people around you.  That is one of the reasons we need our Group Fitness teachers so much!  They are filled with so much energy and spirit you can’t help but leave class feeling happy.  To find out more about our GX classes, head here.
  • Add a little Fa La La La La to your celebration.  Singing eases stress and lifts your spirits.  That doesn’t mean you have to perform for your family and friends…you can sing in the shower, in your car, add a little karaoke to your holiday festivities or break out the Christmas Carols; it doesn’t matter what or how you sing, it only matters that you do sing!
  • Say AWWWE.  Allow yourself to get caught up in the wonder of the season.  Whatever beauty you see, be it a sunrise, a sunset or a beautifully decorated room, take a moment and soak it in!
  • Capture the Moment.  We ALL love to take photos.  So do it.  Document your holiday.  Besides, studies have shown that playing the photographer can make you feel more positive!!
  • Give yourself a break!  The idea of perfection is an illusion. Give yourself the room to make mistakes.  If you are getting most of the things on your to do list done, consider it a win!
  • Repeat…anything on this list work?  Try and make it a habit.  If you found that giving thanks made a difference in your day, why not do it again tomorrow?  Or if you made your workout a priority and you found yourself filled with energy and joy, don’t you want to feel the same way tomorrow?

OCSC would like to take a moment to wish all of you a wonderful holiday season!