November Welcome – Live Well, Travel Well, and Breathe Hatteras Island

Helper’s high and stress-free gatherings

It’s wonderful to see Hatteras Island come together for so many events and witness the heartfelt generosity of the community. The act of giving gets you out of your headspace and into your heartspace and boosts your wellbeing with the release of the natural feel-good chemicals serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin. Also known as the helper’s high, giving gifts, acts of kindness, supporting good causes, volunteering, and fundraising efforts reward you with a sense of belonging and increased connectedness with family, friends, and the community.

This month, we can be thankful for Veterans Day, World Kindness Day, and Thanksgiving. In addition to planning for the holidays, it’s easy to find that all our good intentions have gone awry and feelings of overwhelm are creeping in. Exhausted from hosting Thanksgiving, feeling guilty from overindulging, dealing with family dramas, hitting the Black Friday sales, the rising costs of living and paying for the holidays, etc. It can be lot of pressure. Think about how you can help yourself and others reduce stress, set realistic expectations to enjoy the day, and remember often it’s the priceless gifts of time or a loving gesture that can mean the most.

This season can also be a difficult time for some people, and they don’t always express their challenges. They may be far away or estranged from family and friends, or feel burdened by holiday expenses and the effort involved in gatherings. We can all learn to be more accepting of others. To help you feel more centered, you can always ‘gift’ yourself a Loving Kindness Meditation. It’s a great reminder you to be kind to yourself and to others, overcome negative feelings and frustrations, and help you feel more connected. You can find Loving Kindness Meditation guided scripts, history and the science supporting the practice on wellness websites,YouTube and social media.

Photo credit: RDNE Stock project