| As we head into the end of the year, most of us are well into the holiday season – full of family, decorations, traditions, and expectations. If you’re anything like me, you’re hearing those familiar phrased in your head – This holiday has to be absolutely perfect! But we’ve always done it like this. It won’t be Christmas if we don’t… I’ve got so much to do to get ready! They’ll be so disappointed if I don’t… I don’t know about you, but the holiday season can be full of such high expectations that I can get lost in the stress and the things “to do” that I’m distracted and I end up exhausted and miss the opportunities to connect with those closest to me. |
| So this year I’m committed to: Taking time to connect with myself. What do I need to be able to enjoy the season? How can I practice self-care? It usually means some extra time to just sit quietly and listen to my heart; to become aware of my thoughts, feelings, and needs. So often my stressful thoughts can be so loud that I can’t hear the small voice of what I need in order to care for myself. Prioritize connecting with those closest to me. It’s easy to feel the need to go to all those different events (and especially feel the guilt of letting somebody down), but I want to especially connect with those closest to me – my husband, kids, neighbors, and my good friends. It’s easy to get so busy that we sacrifice these relationships in order to meet the needs of others. Connecting with those I love is a part of not only my self-care, but is important for loving and supporting them. Practice healthy boundaries. There are so many expectations, especially if you’re a wife and/or mother. By practicing healthy boundaries, I give myself permission to say no to doing for the sake of doing, and to prioritize what I’m able to do during this season. I respect my inability (as well as my lack of desire!) to “do it all”. I let go of guilt and give myself permission to fully enjoy whatever those things are that I choose to do. Prioritize quality over quantity. Quality conversations and events are those that inspire, encourage, and touch my life and the lives of those around me. This can look a lot of different ways and will be different for each of us, so I respect others in however they choose to do this for themselves. Realize that there’s no deadline for doing the things that are important to me. If I can’t get together with someone before the holidays, it’s perfectly fine to schedule it for some time in January. I give myself permission to be flexible and to think creatively. I hope these ideas inspire you and free you up from stress and anxiety this holiday season. How are you finding joy, connection and meaning this holiday season? What would you add to this list? As always, I appreciate hearing from you and I’d love to hear your thoughts. Wishing you a wonderful holiday season! |
