Stress less with healing affirmations and flower power.

Holidays provide us with the perfect opportunity to reconnect with what’s really important in life and to reach out to friends and family.

But in the hustle and bustle of festivities, the holidays can be challenging in a number of ways. When I get harried, hassled and hungry, I try to remind myself of how important the daily messages that the mind sends the body can impact wellbeing and the ability to cope with stress.

And somehow I remind myself about the water.

Researcher Masaru Emotio, PhD, who was trained in alternative medicine, published a book of photographs of water crystals he had exposed to negative and positive emotions. Those photographs, taken through a dark field microscope show the perfect crystals of the water that had been exposed to emotions like love, words like gratitude, or thoughts of Mother Teresa, and in contrast, the twisted, almost tortured crystals exposed to hateful and negative words and images.

If water crystals can be so dramatically impacted by words and thoughts, can you imagine what is going on in your own body?

Your body believes every word and thought you think, and so practicing a positive belief system is as important as taking your daily vitamins and minerals. By focusing on what you are thankful for, you are also reinforcing acceptance and love of yourself—the one person who is often overlooked, undervalued and ignored during this time of year.

Used on a daily basis, these affirmations can also help to heal and realign your mind with your body and your spirit:

1. I appreciate and am grateful for all things.
2. My life overflows with abundant health, love, and creative expression.
3. I give thanks for the many blessings that I experience in my life.

My other favorite go-to remedy this time of year is the Bach’s Rescue Remedy. The Bach Flower Remedies were developed in the 1930s by Dr. Edward Bach, to help people relieve troubling mental states such as rejection, abandonment, betrayal, loss and lack of connectedness, worry, anxiety, uncertainty, and fear. While there are 38 remedies in total, Rescue Remedy seems to cover the most ground. It helps you move through all kinds of stressful situations from minor tensions to acute states that encompass a whole range of emotions especially during the holiday season. It is very calming for everything from everyday tensions to major tragedies.

I have been known to take the Bach remedies straight from the bottle, but it is recommended that you take two drops in water and sip at intervals throughout the day. Take four drops minimum four times per day. You can even place the remedy on your wrists and temples for added stress relief!

On a personal note, my world is a merrier place because of all of you. I wish you and your family a wonderful Holiday season with happiness, joy and prosperity throughout the coming year!