Holidays can be peaceful and happy, filled with get-togethers, feasting, and gift-giving. But with all of the activities and expectations, it can also be filled with anxious moments and stress. A good way to avoid stress and anxiety is to practice mindfulness, especially during the holidays. Mindfulness is the ability to be ‘in the now’. To focus thoughts and concerns to the now and deal with them calmly. If you are not sure how to accomplish a state of mindfulness, try some of the following tips. These should work any time of year but especially during the holidays.
- Start Your Day Mindfully. Start your day peacefully and calmly. When you wake up, take a deep breath, and feel your breath going in and out of your lungs. Think positive thoughts as you inhale and let go of any tension or worries when you exhale. Spend the next few minutes calmly organizing your morning.
- Create a Mindful Morning Routine. Before you engage with your morning activities, slow down and enjoy each moment of your preparation. Spend a few more minutes in the shower, savor the warm, relaxing water on your skin. Enjoy the process of picking out your clothes and getting dressed. Drink in the sights, sounds and smells of preparing or eating breakfast. Take a deep breath and drink in the environment around you before racing off to work or to the day’s activities.
- Practice Gratitude. Thanksgiving means giving thanks, and the Christmas season is a celebration of the Christ child. So be grateful for the people and things around you. Take a few moments every day and express your thanks for the things important to you – family, friends, being alive, work. Keep a gratitude journal and write down notes of gratitude. Saying thanks, and writing down things you are grateful for, reminds you of how much you have to be grateful for, especially during the holidays. Click here for a Gratitude Journal.
- Mindful Eating. This sounds weird, but do we really pay attention to what we eat or how much we eat, especially during the holidays? Mindful easting is paying attention to the flavors, textures, and aromas of the foods you eat. Chew slowly and savor each bite. This not only enhances you’re eating experience but also helps you eat more mindfully and avoid overindulgence.
- Breathe Mindfully. Good advice for people freaking out is, “Take a deep breath”. Deep breathing forces you to focus on the act of breathing in and out, and not on the crisis at hand. Take a deep breath in, count to four, and then exhale slowly counting to four. Doing this several times allows your breath to calm your mind and bring you back to the present moment.
- Set Intentional Boundaries. It is easy to overcommit to family, friends, and your job, especially during the holidays. But you must protect your time and energy, so set intentional boundaries on both. You set these boundaries by prioritizing the people and activities that matter most to you.
- Mindful Gift-Giving. Have you ever rushed out to buy a gift for someone you forgot or overlooked? If so, was that gift very meaningful to either of you? Probably not. So take time to think about the recipient’s preferences and needs, before you buy. Thoughtful gifts, chosen with care, carry more meaning and reflect your appreciation for the recipient.
- Engage Your Senses. This sounds like a line from Star Trek, doesn’t it” “Engage your senses and beam me up Scotty”. But the point of this blog is to find peace during the holidays, and what better way than to see, hear, smell, and touch all of the festive moments. Look at all of the holiday lights. Actually, see them and enjoy their brightness and twinkling. Smell the many different scents of the season. Listen to the sounds of carolers, the falling leaves or snow, and the voices of family and friends. Drink it all in and enjoy the peace of every holiday moment.
- Mindful Movement. Get out and do Something! Walk, jog, ride a bike, ski, sled, dance, do yoga, do anything, but move! Feel the sensations from your body as you enjoy these holiday moments either by yourself, or in the midst of family and friends.
- Unplug and Reconnect. There is great peace in disconnecting, especially in the midst of a hectic holiday. Take breaks from your devices and social media, and plug-in to h the people around you. Converse, play games, share stories and experiences, but simply enjoy quality time together without distractions.
Click Here For More Holiday Self Care.
Make sure you enjoy the peaceful part of the holidays by practicing mindfulness and savoring the present moment. Mindfulness isn’t about escaping from the holiday chaos, but rather about finding moments of peace and joy amidst it. So, breathe, be present, and cherish the magic of the holidays.
