Let’s relieve some stress!

November is the season of thanks and that’s followed by December, the season of joy and celebration. Unfortunately what also comes in abundance during this time of year is stress, and that’s not good. Stress is linked to all leading causes of death and should not be taken for granted. As Realtors, particularly a husband-andwife team 100 percent dedicated to the profession, we know a lot about stress. CareerCast.com’s annual Jobs Related Report analyzes the stress levels of 200 professions and real-estate agents are often ranked in the top ten. Complex transactions, answering to clients 24/7, and uncertain market conditions all take a toll on the human spirit. Over a decade ago we made a very conscious effort to reduce stress in our lives and here are some of the ways we do it.

Get outdoors! Hiking, biking, birdwatching, piñon-gathering, mushroom-hunting, fly-fishing, skiing, you name it. Fortunately for Santa Feans, all of these activities are available right outside the front door. Simply spending time in nature will lift your spirits and make you feel great. Last month was one of the longest fall foliage seasons we have had in a long time. Walking along a mountain trail with colorful aspen leaves blowing around and the hint of winter in the air is absolutely heavenly.

Get your yoga on. Achy joints, sore backs, weight gain, weight loss, and of course stress— for whatever ails you, try yoga and see if it helps. Yoga has exploded in popularity in the United States and for good reason: it works. This growing popularity can be traced in part to Bikram Choudhury who codified a series of 26 hatha yoga postures and founded the Yoga College of India. Bikram is like the Bruce Lee of yoga: bold, brash, and controversial, but undeniably a master and the leading authority with over a million people practicing worldwide.

Santa Fe’s Hot Yoga, which has been in business for 18 years, is at 1310 Monterey Drive and is owned by LetitiaWatts. She and her staff of expert instructors teach classes every day, so stop in and try it. If hot hatha yoga is not for you, try a class in yin yoga, a therapeutic and meditative experience that stretches ligaments and tendons by simply holding postures for several minutes. You will feel the improvement after just one class.

“Become like water, my friend” is a famous quote from Bruce Lee and martial arts is a more exotic way to reduce stress. Like yoga, the martial arts have been handed down through lineage-holders over thousands of years and today there are many different styles to choose. The Santa Fe American Kenpo Karate Academy (AKKA) at 4323 Airport road is owned by the young yet venerable Colter Gollihugh. Self-defense, sparring, and kata are disciplines in which you will progress and master at your own pace. Mr. Gollihugh teaches lunch-hour and evening classes. It’s good for the whole family and, interestingly, kids who study martial arts have better confidence and get better grades in school.

In the spirit of the season, we are thankful for living in the beautiful city of Santa Fe with its unrestricted access to nature and especially thankful for all the wonderful people we share it with. We would like to express a very special thank you to LetitiaWatts and Colter Gollihugh. They contribute to Santa Fe in a positive way that has helped our family and many others stay healthy, happy, and of course, stress free.

Roger andMelissa are Realtors at Keller Williams. Melissa was the 2017 president of the Santa Fe Association of Realtors. Call them at 505-699-3112, email twicethesellingpower@gmail.com, or follow them on Twitter @ CarsonandCarson and at www. facebook.com/carsonandcarson.santaferealestate