Image courtesy of bulldogza / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Just two days left of our  31 Days of Healthy Ways to Enjoy the Holidays More and today’s little tip is to get outside tonight and do some stargazing.  It’s a chance for you to take a few minutes (or an hour!) to slow down, relax and take the focus off of all the goings on in your life.

Despite the cold, winter is a great time to view the stars because the sky is clearer (cold air can’t hold as much moisture as warm air) and the nights are longer!  And spending some time in the cold winter air can be invigorating, just bundle up first!  Taking some time to look at the stars can be relaxing and even romantic (depending on who you are with) and it doesn’t cost a dime.  It can even help you feel more connected to others if you remember that everyone on this earth looks up to the same stars. And gazing up at the immense universe above us can give our problems some perspective.   It’s hard to feel like most of the things we are worried about are that big a deal when you see how small we are!

I love looking up at the stars and thinking about the fact that I’m actually looking at the past!  The light from the stars has taken decades or even a hundred years to reach our eyes.  Light travels pretty quickly but the universe is so massive that it takes a long time for the light from stars to reach us. Totally mindblowing!

So get outside and contemplate your life and place in this universe!  I hope it gives you some perspective!