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Inspiration

Can you spare 10 minutes a day?

he year-end holiday season 2022 is upon us. tunes, turn it up, and dance around your office.
And, as you know, this is a hectic time for a • Pause while at your desk, close your eyes and
large swath of merchants and for experts work- pay attention to the sounds, smells and other
T ing throughout the payments industry—from sensations you experience in that moment.
the field to executive offices—to provide them with the
latest technology and support for payments and a host of • Pick one small area in your office or home and
other business services. tidy it up.
• Do yoga poses on your own or along with a
People tend to have more personal events packed into their short video, and make sure you pay attention
schedules at this time, too, so it can be stressful. It can also to your breath.
seem like there's no time to squeeze in any activities that
could alleviate that stress and promote well-being. • If you have a pet, spend some time engaging
with the animal.
Of course, if you are reading this, the frenetic pace of the • Color in a coloring book designed for adults.
holiday season is nothing new to you, nor is the notion that • Set a timer for five or ten minutes and write
it's important to take time for yourself. You've probably whatever comes to mind in a journal, and don't
read a host of articles over the years about this general stop until the timer goes off.
topic. The thing is, though, just because you might have
a great store of knowledge on this topic doesn't mean you • Gaze at clouds floating by during the day or at
will remember to apply it. twinkling stars at night.
• Tend your garden.
That's why repeated exposure to useful information can • Call a dear friend you haven't spoken with in
be a good thing. Reminders can create little aha moments
when you remember things you intended to implement but a while.
did not. Maybe you meant to stop by your neighbor's house • Listen to an inspiring podcast.
for a brief chat, for example, or you thought meditating for
ten minutes in the morning could work for you, but you Now, if you feel the blues descend upon you despite taking
never got around to trying it. actions to lift your mood, you can get support in multiple
ways. Among them are self-help audiobooks; online, pre-
Proven tactics to improve well-being recorded therapy programs you can do at your own pace;
online relaxation therapy; and light therapy, which needs
So here are tried-and-true ideas that could help you fit to be done in person but needn't become an ongoing time
self-care into your packed schedule in the coming weeks
to ensure you'll get the most joy and satisfaction from this drain. Plus, if you take positive steps now and continue
them throughout the year, your enjoyment of life can
holiday season. In addition to meditating and visiting with
a neighbor, mentioned above, several other possibilities become immeasurably enhanced.
include:
• Step outside and walk or run around the block
one or more times.
• Make a playlist of your favorite energizing Kate Gillespie, President and CEO

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