Holidays can be wonderful in so many ways: time with family and friends, time off from work, and time to relax and celebrate with loved ones. But they can also be stressful, whether it’s worrying about money, fighting holiday traffic, or dealing with drama at family gatherings. Mindfulness practices such as Julie’s SNAP method are a great way to break the cycle of stress and reset your mind for more peace and joy. Here’s how it works:
S: Soothing Touch — When you feel stress, where does it show up in your body? Place your hand on your heart, face, arms, belly, or in your other hand to find your body’s soothing touch location. The release of oxytocin and endorphins will help calm your nervous system.
N: Name the Emotion — Name it to tame it, so that you can feel it to heal it. Naming the emotion engages your thinking brain to help you calm down when you are feeling overwhelmed. Then you can apply one of the many appropriate mindful methods to help you feel better.
A: Act — Ask the ultimate Mindful Self-Compassion question: “What do I need right now?” Then do what can reasonably be done with what you’ve got in the moment. For example:
- Try controlling your breathing, making you exhale longer than you inhale to lower your blood pressure and slow your heart rate.
- Try dropping your attention to the soles of your feet as you control your breathing to slow the whole show down.
- Stay focused on your body and your breathing. Breathe in compassion for yourself because it’s so difficult, and breathe out compassion for them because they are suffering (even if their behavior might be disturbing).
P: Praise — Thank your practice for helping you manage the stress! Thank yourself for showing up day after day, and trying to do your best. Thank the universe, or your spirit of choice for giving you the strength and courage to keep on keeping on.
Psychologist Rick Hanson, the senior fellow at UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center and New York Times bestselling author, says: “The SNAP method is brilliant. In one simple practice, Julie Potiker integrates brain science, mindfulness, compassion, and other effective tools for lifting your mood, easing anxiety, calming stress, and opening your heart.”
