No matter how you celebrate the holidays, it's important to stay present and focused. We have so much to do this time of year, we can get easily distracted and spend most of our time in our heads. Some tips to help you enjoy the holidays and still get everything done are:
BREATHE!
Breathing deeply brings the focus back to your body. This is especially helpful when you are out and about in public. Remember, others will be acting crazed and certainly not aware or present. This means it is up to you to keep focused. If someone cuts you off in traffic, breathe. If you are running out of time to get your errands done, breathe. If Aunt Suzie can't stop commenting on the weight you have gained, breathe! Get the picture? Breathing doesn't take away your frustration, but it helps you focus on what is important for you! It brings oxygen into the body and helps us think clearer.
MEDITATE!
Meditation is about taking a few minutes out of the day to hit the reset button. It can be as simple as listening to a short guided meditation, a walk in nature, painting, yoga and even baking those holiday cookies! When we open our creativity center, and focus on bringing forth the beauty within us, we are meditating. Meditation raises our vibration and helps us to focus, think clearer, and stay present.
GROUND!
Grounding ourselves brings all of our energy into our bodies and allows us to feel rooted, planted in the earth. To ground, you envision roots at the bottom of your feet extending into the soil beneath you. Imagine you are a huge oak tree, firmly rooted in the earth. Grounding allows us to be present and in our bodies, instead of flying around in our heads or outside of our bodies. Practice grounding throughout the day, especially while driving so you are present and can respond to anything around you.
PLAN!
Planning does not mean spending all of your time sorting out every detail. It
does mean writing down what you need to do, where you need to go, and keeping track of your obligations. We put so much pressure on ourselves these days to do so much, that it can all get jumbled up and we lose track of things. That makes our time management all the more challenging. Writing down these details will get them out of our heads. We can focus on other things because we don't have to hold onto all of that data. It is an effective way to manage the busy season.
SAY NO!
The holidays are about gathering and sharing, but you do not need to gather and share with everyone who asks you to do so. It is not being selfish to say no to someone because you need down time, or family time, or whatever. Focus on you and what you need also. If you don't take care of yourself through this time, who will? Ask yourself, "Is this where I need to put my energy right now?" Allow the honest answer to come forward, and then follow through with it. People will understand. If they do not, that's something else entirely. Then that
really isn't where your energy should go!
BUDGET!
This is not a woo-woo thing...it's a practical thing. Spend within your means, even if that requires you to bake cookies instead of buy gifts for people. Your gift recipients will value the time and energy you put into your gift!
SCHEDULE ALONE TIME!
This is the busiest season of the year, and it is very easy to forget about our alone time. It is imperative to spend time away from others to recharge our batteries. Put it on the calendar and stick to it! This allows all aspects of us to refocus and renew. Winter can be harsh on our physical bodies. Add to that how we deluge our bodies with huge quantities of questionable foods, and you have the perfect storm. Taking time to unwind by ourselves gives our bodies an opportunity to not have to be "on" all the time. Being with others is stressful in many ways. Give yourself a break!
ENJOY!
There is magic this time of year, no matter what you celebrate. It's not because of any particular belief system, it's because we are creating it--the gift of giving, sharing, helping, serving. Granted, these are gifts we can share throughout the year, but take advantage of the energy created by the season. Resist the "bah-humbug" urge that can creep around us. True, not everyone is nice this time of year (the shopping mall makes that perfectly clear!) but you do not need to buy into that mindset. You can still enjoy your experience. We are here to experience life, so why not create the experience of joy? Send light and love to those who don't know how to drive in parking lots, those who mob the store on Black Friday pushing you out of the way, those who might not be able to see what the experience could be for them, focusing on the negative.
Choose to focus on the positive!
This is
your experience, after all. Make it what you want!
Happy Thanksgiving! Here's to happy gatherings and yummy feasts!
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