Here's my 4 Steps to Staying Mindful This Holiday Season!
1. Don't over indulge, but don't miss out either. Have that glass of wine and chocolates dammit, just not 5 glasses of wine, and 2 boxes of chocolates all to yourself. Moderation people! It's the holiday season- don't go on that diet you meant to start during the summer. This is NOT the time of year to start diets, or any drastic changes to your diet. Remind yourself it's okay to eat that gingerbread cookie. Have some fun! Don't give yourself an anxiety attack trying to keep track of your sugar/calorie intake. Another great practice involving food is mindful eating. Consciously eat slower and savour every bite! Instead of inhaling your Christmas feast, chew slower and longer. You'll really taste the food, and you'll feel grateful for every bite!
2. With the moderation in food, there should also be moderation of people too. Some people dread going to visit family over Christmas. If you're one of these people, set some boundaries. If you know a family member is going to start talking about a subject matter that makes you cringe- don't entertain it!
"Ya, but-"
NO. Seriously- change the subject matter, start a conversation with someone else, or excuse yourself to the bathroom or outside for some fresh air. Don't feel like you HAVE to partake in ugly conversations.
Set a strict time limit. Instead of spending 6 hours with your crazy family, cut it down to four or three. Tell them in advance too. I find that if I'm in a large crowd of people for more than a couple of hours my energy starts dropping drastically and I feel cranky. I'm emotionally drained! If you often feel like this- set a time limit!
3. Remember to breathe! Standing in endless lines buying gifts, returning gifts, waiting at the airport- it's easy to get flustered and start saying things like,
"why isn't this line moving faster?!"
"The people who work here are terrible!"
"Nobody has any sense of personal space or manners!" etc. etc.
Suddenly your agony is completely the fault of the random stranger standing in front of you, who's probably thinking the same things.
While you have those moments of waiting- take a deep breath. Ask yourself where you feel tension. Let go of the tension. More deep breaths. It's going to be okay!
4. Remind yourself what Christmas is really about. Why are you celebrating it? Is it just about the gifts and chaos? Or does it mean something else for you? (Hopefully something more meaningful!)
I remember when I started focusing on what Christmas meant to me (family, good food, good wine, and relaxing) the stress and anxiety of trying to find the "perfect" gift for every single person in my life drifted away. I've personally got to a point now where Christmas isn't about me anymore. I much prefer to see the look of 'awe' on my kid's faces when Santa's eaten the cookies and left gifts. It's magic! That makes me happier than receiving anything. As I get older I realize I don't need much anyway. I have everything I need and then some. It's easy to get caught up in the consumerism of Christmas. If you find yourself in this state, remind yourself what's really important to you.
No comments:
Post a Comment