by Susan U. Neal RN, MBA, MHS @SusanNealYoga
The holidays are an exciting but stressful time of year. Stores bustle with shoppers who hurry around to get things checked off their list. By December, we all end up rattled and worn out. However, we can successfully navigate the season to healthy during the most joyous time of the year and conduct book signings to sell more books during the busiest time of the year.
Shop Early
In December, stores are packed, items run low, and parking lots are full, which makes shopping a nerve-wracking experience. Instead, purchase gifts for your family and friends early. Create a list of everyone you need to buy for, and as you purchase gifts, cross them off your list. Finish your shopping before the Thanksgiving holidays, so your holiday stress is lessened. If you still need to purchase a few items in December, order them online to avoid the crowds.
Schedule Holiday Book Events
Schedule book events at local bookstores during this busy season. During the month of December, shoppers scramble to buy items to finish their gift-giving list. Give them every reason to purchase from you by conducting a book signing.
Last year, when I did a book signing at Barnes & Noble the Sunday before Christmas, I sold over $500 worth of books in two hours. Buyers were eager to finish their shopping with a useful gift like a book. And the author can easily explain why this gift is perfect for their loved one.
Here are some book signing tips:
- Bring several pens
- Sign your name on the title page of your book
- Ask the buyer to spell the name of the person who the book is for
- Insert your bookmark
- Take pictures of your event when you arrive and post on social media
- Tag the bookstore on your social media post
- Hold a drawing with some door prizes to collect emails (be sure to get permission to add them to your email list)
- Bring some water as you may get thirsty
Stay Healthy During the Holidays
To stay healthy during the holidays you need to exercise but your time is limited. Park your car further away from a store, so you walk more. Climb the stairs instead of taking the elevator. While talking on the phone, get up and walk around. You can really clock in some miles while talking. Check your smart phone for the number of steps you walked and meet a daily goal you created for yourself.
At holiday parties, avoid the unhealthy items and eat nuts, vegetables, and fruits. Dip those veggies in healthy dips like guacamole and hummus. These foods are just as delicious, and they won’t contribute to brain fog. Be sure not to overeat. Using a smaller plate may help. At potlucks, bring a healthy item like a broccoli salad with fresh pomegranate.
When you eat healthy during the holidays, your energy level remains high so you can keep up
with a multitude of tasks. The last thing you need is fatigue because of a poor diet.
Focus on the Reason for the Season
If you get your shopping done early you won’t get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season. Instead of fighting the crowds, enjoy time with your family and focus spiritually on the birth of Jesus Christ.
When we stay centered on the reason for the season, we experience the joy of the holidays. Read through the Christmas story and count the number of angelic visits surrounding Jesus’s birth. It will surprise you how many you find. Read these Bible verses with your family in the following chronological order: Luke 1: 5–39, 56; Matthew 1: 20; Luke 2: 1–14; and Matthew 2:1–22.
You can be peaceful during the holidays while everyone else runs around checking everything off their list, by preparing early and focusing on the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. This year prepare early, stay healthy, and enjoy the season.
Great and practical tips! Thanks Susan. You always inspire me.
ReplyDeleteThese tips can lead to feeling better during a stressful. Making those better food choices can still provide enjoyment without the feeling of missing something. Thanks, Susan!
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