The holidays are upon us, and already there are delicious things to eat in our lunch and conference rooms, the stores are waving us in with sales and deals and one-of-a-kind offers, and everywhere we turn, someone is encouraging us to “indulge” ourselves. 

Wouldn’t it be nice to have a holiday season with no extra pounds, extra spending or extra stress? I talked with several members of my team here at Salal, and together we came up with a list of festive and guilt-free indulgences to allow us to celebrate the holiday spirit, without the usual repercussions. This holiday season, why not indulge yourself in…

• time with family and friends: schedule a “play date” for a round of flag football or a popcorn-and-favorite-movie night.
• good food: find healthy new recipes. Go crazy and grill some Brussels sprouts, marinated in balsamic vinegar or stage a competition to see who can most successfully “lighten up” a favorite family recipe.
• culture: see a play or attend the ballet. Community centers often have local theater companies doing high-quality performances at very reasonable prices.
• exercise: take a walk with a friend or participate in a 5K race for charity and double your feel-good factor!
• leisure: carve out some time that’s all about you, then put it on your schedule in ink.
• game night: dust off your old board games and have a “Monopoly” on fun in this game of “Life.”
• reliving old memories: spend a night watching your old home movies or curl up on the couch with the family and some old photo albums
• giving: volunteer at your local food bank or shelter. Dosomething.org lists volunteer opportunities in your area, so you can find just the right cause for your time and talents. This year, Salal CU staff participated in fund-raising activities for International Community Health Services (ICHS) and HealthPoint, and I know we all felt overwhelmed at our members’ generosity and honored to be able to give back to our communities through two such outstanding organizations.
• getting to know your community: we tend to take our own area for granted. Play “tourist” in your own town and go see the sights you’ve never made time for before.
• planning: this may not be the most festive-sounding idea, but taking an hour or two to evaluate your finances, update your insurance policies, and review your budget could be the best gift you give yourself and your family this year!

Filed under: President's Corner by admin