The holiday season is coming to a close and a new year is beginning. We've had our fill of family, celebrations and parties, lots of unhealthy, yummy foods and festive cocktails. We've fought crowds, tackled clothes racks, cooked up a storm and traveled to loved ones homes, near and far. We've had our fair share of stress...wouldn't you say? 

Now is the time to release a little bit of that stress and ring in the New Year with a fresh, unstressed perspective. Here are some ideas to get you feeling relaxed and blissful...ready to take on the 2010 with a rejuvenated bang! 

1. Beauty Rest: Chances are you've missed out on some important slumber-time.  There's a reason that sleep is called "beauty rest."  Sleep deprivation can affect our skin, our eyes, our energy levels, not to mention our minds and immune systems. Take the next week to get a solid 8 hours each night. 
2. Get Moving: Being active helps to release endorphins and releases stress. However, this holiday season, you may not have been as active as you would have liked.  Not to worry.  Sometimes, giving our bodies a break can provide us with some mental motivation and energy to get back into the swing of things. This week, before the New Year’s resolution makers swarm the gyms, experiment with different routines or classes—some ideas: take a pole dancing, Rebounding or a Kettle Bell class. Giving yourself permission to experiment will help you find new and fun things that might keep you motivated moving forward.
3. Laugh: Laughter, too, releases happy hormones, while reducing stress hormones (such as cortisol and adrenaline).  Further, it has the ability to increase antibody-producing cells, which in turn makes our immune systems stronger.  Some ideas to spark a giggle: watch a funny movie, go to a comedy club, the zoo or aquarium, or enjoy some time with some of your most humorous of friends.
4. Ohmm: Yoga has a wonderful calming affect and can do the mind and body a lot of good when it comes to releasing tension.  Take two classes this week to relax and decompress.
5. Spend Some Alone Time: This season, we've mostly spent time with friends and family.  Although that can be fun, sometimes it can be stressful.  Regardless, not having much “alone time” can cause you to feel antsy.  Carve out “alone time” this week—about four solid hours—and spend time doing something you love.  Some ideas: Take a bath, take a walk, read a good book or go to the museum.  Time alone, will help you to reconnect with yourself and clear your head.
6. Get Your Spa On:  The spa is more than for pampering.  We provide you benefits to your health...namely stress reduction.  Treatments and services, such as massage, hydrotherapy, heat therapy and facials, benefit your skin, your body and your mind.  Make an appointment this week for your favorite treatment. 
7. Personal Detox: Believe it or not, eating and drinking the way we do over the holidays can cause us to become less regular, adding stress to our systems. Take the next week to eliminate sugars, refined flours, baked foods, fatty foods and yes, alcohol from your diet.  Focus on beefing up your intake of fresh vegetables and fruit, and try to consume more plant-based proteins, such as beans, quinoa and soy. You may even want to consider having a smoothie for breakfast and lunch to help launch your system into waste elimination.
8. Holiday Detox: The house may be a wreck after all of the holiday visitors so take one day and “detox” your house of the holiday season. Put the decorations away.  Clean the guest rooms.  Go through the leftovers and toss those you don't really want or need or that are just plain old. Organize the cards, the wrapping paper and the decorations for next year.  Consider this "spring cleaning" for the holidays. Getting your home and things back to normal will make you feel as though you have accomplished something and will allow you to move onto new things.