The holiday season is upon us once again!
For many, this is the most wonderful time of the year.
The cold weather brings with it a sense of cozy comfort, and the warm glow of holiday lights dispels the darkness.
This is a time for family, friends, and traditions.
It is a time to come together and celebrate all that we have to be thankful for.
Whether you’re looking forward to decorating your home, attending holiday parties, or just enjoying some quality time with loved ones, there’s no doubt that the holiday season is a special time of year.
Although there may be some anxieties that tend to arise at this time of year about money issues, family dynamics, fear, or unresolved issues around overeating or drinking and overspending.
Holidays can typically demand quite a bit of our time, energy and money.
On the one hand, there are fun opportunities to socialize, connect, and enjoy the company of friends and family, and on the other, there is a greater chance of feeling tired, drained, exhausted, disconnected, and without contact with your regular routines.
Many of us are not sure what to expect from the holidays this year.
Will we be allowed to spend it with the family? Will there even be any parties?
It may look a little different for everyone, depending on where you are in the world.
But whatever hope you are doing, keeping your mind, body, and spirit in high vibration will be of great importance.
1. Spend your time intentionally
You don’t have to say yes to every single invitation to dinner or drinks.
It can be draining on your physical and spiritual body to rush and try to please everyone and be in all places at once—Check with your intention before you decide to do anything.
Are you saying yes out of a sense of obligation?
Or are you agreeing to something because you have to?
Check how you feel, if you light up with excitement and anticipation, it’s a good sign!
Learn to listen to your intuition and your heart when it comes to deciding how to spend your precious time.
2. Practice gratitude
This is a great way to stay in a healthy mindset and not lose sight of what’s important to you.
Make a gratitude list each day during the holidays.
Being grateful for your health, your family, your friends, and anything else you appreciate about your personal circumstances can remind you to stay positive.
When you share that high frequency of gratitude and love with others, it can make a serious difference in your experience.
3. Practice being mindful
Don’t let small annoyances and anxieties become big things.
By remaining mindful throughout each day, you can ensure that you maintain that connection with your higher self.
Every time you feel overwhelmed or like you’re taking on too much energy or other people’s expectations, check in with your breath and body.
By going down into yourself and finding that awareness of the present moment, you learn to listen to what you need in each moment.
4. Practice forgiveness and letting go
Family can be one of the biggest triggers of all for many people.
If you find yourself in a situation with a family member who tends to criticize you or you know that small issues will come up during the holidays, prepare yourself in advance by protecting your energy and making the decision not to don’t be personally offended.
True forgiveness takes time and work, but deciding not to let someone’s comments ruin your family’s day is something you can control.
Protect yourself by imagining a white light around you like a shield, and learn to react in a non-combative way.
Make an effort to find compassion and perspective, this will help you navigate through some unpleasant moments with ease.
5. Holistic health
Don’t let the holidays be an excuse for bad sleeping habits, overconsumption, or stopping your meditation routine.
It is just as important, if not more so, to stay active, eat well, and get enough sleep during this time.
The easier it is to break your healthy habits, the more crucial they are to stick.
If you start to feel exhausted and out of touch with your regular self, you’ll find it harder to maintain mindfulness and gratitude practices.
Try to schedule at least short meditations every morning, daily walks, stretching and yoga exercises, and a good night’s sleep.
Always prioritize the health of your mind, body and spirit.
Without it, you cannot function at your best.
You need that inner connection to yourself to stay strong in order to know yourself and act from a place of true spirit and authenticity towards others.
6. Remember what’s important
If the holidays fill you with fear and overwhelm you, resolve to change that this year.
Perhaps this year, more than ever, we must remember what is important in life.
For those of us who cannot be with loved ones or will only see them through a zoom call or computer screen, we can still appreciate and embrace the essence of gratitude and togetherness, which is really what the season of -holidays.
It’s about giving thanks and coming together to share experiences and appreciate the people in our lives.
It’s about reflecting on the year and honoring our triumphs no matter how big or small.
It’s about thinking of those less fortunate and offering them what we can, whether it’s financial support or just love, hope, and prayers.
Remember: Maintaining spiritual wellness during the holidays is about knowing what’s right for you and having the confidence and certainty to follow that path and act on it.
If in doubt, take a breath. I meditated.
Bring yourself back to stillness, the stillness of your heart.
Find something to be grateful for, and let that positive emotion flow through your body with love and joy from the heart. Kindness is contagious.
You can spread joy and love, no matter what.
Excited about the holidays?
