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Mary Ella’s Weekly Message

May 23, 2011

Holidays and Celebrations

Memorial Day marks the official start of the summer season in most places. Do you plan to go to a summer picnic or barbecue at a friend's house? Will you host your family for a party? While you're probably looking forward to it, there can be a sense of stress related to it. Planning for both the fun and the stress can help you get through the holiday weekend smokefree.

Think about the moments that may be particularly stressful to you over the next week and create a plan for them. Visit Coping Strategies in Module 5 and take the time to fill out a plan for the weekend.

Next, think about what you can do in order to relieve some of your stress. Ask for help from others to bring some food or drinks and divide the labor of getting ready if you're the host. You don't have to do it all and you don't have to stress yourself out by striving for perfection.

Build in some time over the holiday weekend for relaxation. Most of us pack a lot into our days, leaving us precious little time for thought and reflection. Just "be" for an hour or so. Take a break and swing in a hammock to look at the sky, or start reading a new book, browse through a magazine, or take a nap. If an hour is not doable, then catch 10 minutes to "be" every now and then. Unwinding is an important way to cope with stress. Download the relaxation exercises, close your eyes and listen: Ahhh….

This is a perfect time of year to enjoy locally grown fruits and vegetables which taste great and can help you avoid gaining weight. What sorts of fresh foods can you incorporate into your daily diet this summer? Try something new or prepare a fruit or vegetable that you like in a new way. Do you like to grill outside? Try cutting fruits and veggies in half and roasting them on the grill. Post your favorite ways to fix fruit and veggies on the Message Boards.

This week, try some of the following things:

• Develop a plan to stay smokefree for the holiday weekend.
• Practice deep breathing and complete a couple of relaxation exercises.
• Be realistic about what you can accomplish.
• Try a new fruit or vegetable or prepare your old favorites in a new way.

Don't forget to take a moment and remember the brave men and women that have made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our freedom in the USA.
Have a great Memorial Day weekend and I’ll see you on the Message Boards!  :-)   Mary Ella

Don’t forget: If you're in the Premium program and want help fast on the Message Boards, put "HELP NOW" in the subject line of your post. If you're looking to offer help, watch for those, "HELP NOW" posts and alert your other FFS Online buddies to offer some assistance as well.