As the holidaze arrive, it is easy to lose oneself in all
the hustle and bustle of holiday spending, consumption, and stress. This time
of year can have a huge impact on your wallet, waistline, and sanity.
This year, to help me remain financially, physically, and emotionally fit during the 2012 Holiday Season, I have employed some “safeguards” into my normal routine.
First off, I have enlisted the help of a personal trainer at my regular gym to help hold me accountable for any possible holiday excess.
This year, to help me remain financially, physically, and emotionally fit during the 2012 Holiday Season, I have employed some “safeguards” into my normal routine.
First off, I have enlisted the help of a personal trainer at my regular gym to help hold me accountable for any possible holiday excess.
The plan: simple math. I have scheduled weekly training sessions with a personal trainer at my gym during the month of December. The money I would usually put toward the admission price or bar tab at a holiday event in years past, I will now be putting towards working out, thus forcing me to limit the wonderful Santa Barbara holiday events to a very select few. Also, since I now need to keep a calorie journal for said trainer, it will also make me think twice about that second cocktail or third hors d'oeuvres. And as a by product, working out harder, going to less events, and consuming less alcohol will help with my emotional state as well. Merry Christmas to me!
Secondly, I have scheduled healthy, low cost community activities during the week to help me remain focused on this holiday survival mission.
The plan: diversion. I found some low cost community yoga and meditation classes in Santa Barbara to help me stay grounded throughout the weeks of December. This plan is to stave off FOMO (fear of missing out) syndrome, the nasty ailment that has a tendency of making one deviate from one’s original plan. While my friends may be out at a fancy event spending lots of money, drinking, and staying out late, I will be meditating and aligning my chakras with a community of like-minded people. All good for the budget, body, and mind (the triad, right?).
These are my holiday safeguards, and I believe I have managed to create the perfect holiday survival plan. Well… as long as my family or friends don’t interfere by asking for pricey presents beyond my budget, or bring their grandmother’s double chocolate fudge to work for a holiday potluck, or by guilt tripping me into saying yes to an unscheduled party. Cuz those things never happen during this time of year. Oy vey.
Here’s a list of events and activities to make your own list from:
Santa Barbara Events:
November 30, Friday – Downtown Holiday Parade
December 2, Sunday – Santa Claus 5K Fun Run
December 2, Sunday – Mahakankala Buddhist Center Meditation
Day Retreat
December 6, Thursday – Downtown 1st Thursday –
with carolers!!
December 9, Sunday – Santa Barbara Harbor Parade of Lights
December 10, Monday – KjEE Winter Round-Up with Metric,
Arlington Theater
December 13, Thursday – Santa Barbara Young Professionals
Holiday Gala, Granada
December 21, Friday – Power of Your Om, EOTWAWKI Hurricane Sandy Benefit
December 22, Saturday – A Tommy & the High Pilots
Christmas, Lobero
December 30, Sunday – An Evening of Channeling, Yoga Soup
Community Meditation
Classes:
6:30 pm Wednesdays @ Mahakankala Buddhist Center, $10
Community Yoga
Classes:
6:30 pm Tuesdays & Thursdays @ Yoga Soup, $10