The holiday season appears to have snuck up on me this year. It’s no wonder, given the whirlwind of distractions we, as a collective, have experienced over the past twelve months. It feels as if just the other day we were taking down the Christmas decorations and here it is again ‒ time to string the lights and prepare for a New Year.
I have decided to take the holidays in stride and not go into overwhelm or create needless stress in my life.
Care to make that vow with me? It’s actually a good decision to approach the season with joy in your heart and vow to be stress-less. A decision you are quite capable of putting into action with very little effort.
Pause for a moment and reflect back to the days of yore when you ran yourself ragged and charged through the holidays in a haze. How much do you think you missed out on?
A friend recently posted 3 Christmas Rules on Facebook, which, while tongue-in-cheek in nature, are excellent rules you can adopt to help you not only survive, but thrive the holiday season.
- “Don’t go into debt trying to show people how much you love them.” If you have the tendency to over extend yourself every year buying gifts for family and friends, you may want to think outside the box for other less expensive, more joyful ideas. Homemade gift certificates are always a joy to give and receive. Some examples for certificates could be an invitation to take a friend out to lunch, or to shovel a neighbor’s walkway. There are a gazillion more ideas if you think about it – and how festive of you to hand-make a certificate!
- “Don’t go visit your family if it compromises your mental health.” Spending time you’re your family of choice rather than your family of origin may be the best gift you give yourself. Several of my clients struggle with toxic family dynamics on a daily basis. Those dynamics are exacerbated over the holidays, especially during an obligatory visit. Choose to say no to that invitation if it is going to place you in a compromising or less than loving state of mind. Remember, the holidays are about enhancing the joy, love and peace in your life. It is really okay to bow out and take care of thyself.
- “If someone comments on your weight… Eat Them!” How tongue-in-cheek is that? As for eating and the holidays, my philosophy around fueling one’s fabulous body typically is ‘everything in moderation’, except when it pertains to the holidays.
‘Tis the season – go forth, enjoy your life and skip the strife.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from my home to yours!
© 2018 ALL Rights Reserved. Listen To Thyself with Diane Marie Ford. Share this article to your heart’s content, but please do not use it without my written permission. Thank you.