I noticed she was very sluggish. She was having trouble fulfilling what was being asked, even small things. She would take what seemed like forever to do the simplest tasks, sometimes getting lost to the point where she would have to be saved.

I knew what was wrong. She was being overworked. Day after day she would have so many tasks going on all at the same time, juggling so much more than she could handle. But she continued to be pushed until she could not be pushed any further. Her productivity continued to decrease even though the workload not only continued, but also became more demanding.

Finally, I knew what needed to happen so I expressed to her that she really needed to shutdown for a bit and helped her to do so.

We all know how it is when we have been overworked, how hard it is to stop and unplug. It doesn’t happen right away. The mind and body still want to keep going. Things keep popping up to address that seem urgent in the moment, but really are not, so you just have to delete them from your mind … until that beautiful moment comes when you can finally rest and relax.

That is exactly what happened to her. I sat with her and watched and helped until she finally found her way to let it all go. I could almost hear her sigh of relief.

Turned out she really didn’t need much at all. It is amazing, really, how little it can take to restore only if we would give ourselves that privilege. Once she rested a bit, she woke up and was ready to get back at it … functioning her normal, productive way … feeling good about herself and her abilities to serve others.

Can you relate to this story? I certainly can!

The truth is, the “she” in this story is my computer! That is exactly what happened to my computer last night. We were both tired … ha ha. So as I laid down to do what I call a 15-minute power nap or the R & R Pose and I had my laptop beside me helping “her” to shut down, too. She was so lost with so many files, windows, and applications running that it took time for her to reboot. I had to force quit many applications before she could finally shut down and reset herself.

I feel like that sometimes don’t you, the need to reboot? Why do we push and push thinking there is no time to rest? We only become unproductive or at best less productive by doing so.

Let me tell you that by taking the time to rest and take care of ourselves afford us the ability to be more productive … always! And, we are less stressed, healthier, happier people … operating from a place of inspiration and joy.

So, I urge you, dear women of wonder, to reboot your operating system BEFORE you get lost in the shuffle of demands in your life.

If you have a “rebooting” story or thoughts to share, please do so in the comment section below.

And, by all means, if you need help in rebooting your operating system email me and I would be honored to assist you.

So you want to indulge in a treat … after all, this is the time of year where there are sweets and treats around every corner.  This is also the time of the year when stress is higher than normal as discussed in my last article, “Avoid the Holiday Meltdowns”.  With stress often comes over eating and/or binge eating.

I want to share a little trick I use to help curtail this kind of binge eating.  Keep in mind that this “trick” I use does not address the root problem.  That will be saved for another article.  This really isn’t even a trick at all but more of a special treatment.

What I want to share with you today allows you to indulge in a healthier way that, if done properly with the right mindset, can actually be a self-care activity. It’s very simple and fun.

Decide on a treat that you really want.  Don’t be mindless about it.  For example I made Pumpkin Cream Cupcakes the other night.  Oh my goodness!  They are so good! (I’ve included the recipe below.) They remind me of the Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins from Starbucks, which I love.  I could easily eat several in one setting if I’m not careful, so to avoid that kind of a binge eating I create “a moment”.

As you can see in the picture above, I created a beautiful holiday setting for eating one (not two, three or even four!) Pumpkin Cream Cupcake. I watched a holiday movie in this setting but sometimes I will play soothing music or sneak away to a quiet place in the house.

A very important aspect of this activity is to be in the moment and use your five senses while indulging in the treat.  Talk about an enjoyable stress reliever!  It feels very special because it is!  It sends a very nurturing message to yourself that you care enough to not binge on your favorite treat while meeting your need to de-stress in a more delightful healthier way.

The next time you feel a binge coming on due to stress or any other reason, allow yourself to indulge in a small treat if you like but create a special moment that tickles your senses.  You will be quite surprised with the results!

Pumkin Cream Cupcakes

From Food & Family Kraft Magazine

www.kraftfoods.com

1 pkg (2-layer size) spice cake mix

1 pkg (3/4 0z) Jell-O Vanilla Instant Pudding

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 pkg (8 oz.) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare cake batter as directed on package.  Add dry pudding mix and and pumpkin; mix well.  Spoon into 24 paper-lined muffin cups.

Beat cream cheese with mixer until cream.  Blend in sugar and egg; spoon over batter.  Swirl gently with small spoon.

Bake 18 to 21 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean.  Cool 5 minutes; remove to wire racks.  Cool Completely.

Special Extra:  Stir 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg into 1 1/2 cups thawed Cool Whip; spread over cooled cupcakes.  Keep refrigerated.

There’s a lot going on at this time of the year as we get ready for Christmas.  Stress is at an all time high … wouldn’t you say?  Life is crazy enough but then when you add the holiday “stuff” on top of an already busy schedule?  It spells … m-e-l-t-d-o-w-n!

Ok, girlfriends, how do we avoid the holiday meltdowns this year?!

First of all, stop wherever you are in your holiday preparations and celebrations and think about what you want Christmas to be for you and your family.  Certainly you don’t want it to be all about stress and meltdowns.  I know that my family does not want me to be irritable, resentful, and miserable during a time that is supposed to be about family, love, and celebrations. They told me so many years ago.  It was then that I began to scale down and slow down so that I could enjoy the beautiful season that it is.

Forget the picture perfect Christmas.  Choose one or two things that are most important and focus on those things.  Do you really need a million different kinds of homemade cookies?  No!  Does your house need to look like something out of a magazine?  No! Seriously, keep it all simple so that you can devote the time you do have to those you love in a way that will create beautiful, fun memories.

That takes me to you.  You know how it goes … “If mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy!”  Let’s keep mama happy during this holiday season.  What do you need to do to make that happen?

Yes, scale down the preparations and celebrations.  But also keep up with your self-care activities.  You only need 15 minutes a day – that alone makes such a big difference.  But ya know what? If you need to shut the world out for a while, do so.  Watch your favorite movie, read a book, take a long nap, a bubble bath or whatever you need to do to restore.  These little things make all the difference in the world!

Avoid the holiday meltdowns this year by simplifying and taking a little time to de-stress.  It’s the best Christmas gift you can give to your family and yourself!

Do share your own thoughts and ideas in the comment section below.