The holidays can be exciting, joyful and heartfelt, just as much as they can be stressful, disappointing and painful. This time of year, tools to stay grounded, find your center, be intentional, as well as present and non-reactive, can be really useful.
I think we all can relate to those feelings at one time or another. The holidays bring up a lot of stuff… They stir up all that we wish we had, or wish was different. Monetary and relationship challenges tend to take center stage, or even loneliness, feeling like we don't have friends or family to turn to at all. I want you to feel empowered, grounded, and aligned this holiday season, so below are 6 simple, yet powerful tools and strategies you can use right away to keep your cool and stay calm during the whirlwind that is the end of the year. 1. PAUSE - Carve out moments to pause Take a long hot shower, enjoy a bubble bath, go for a walk, listen to soothing music, light a candle and turn down the lights, get a massage, pedicure, or even go the spa or sauna. If you have a regular meditation practice, make sure you commit to it (twice) daily for the holiday season. Add more mindfulness and meditation if you need to. If you feel the cortisol levels in your body rising, stop, drop in, and meditate! Click Here to use my guided meditations http://bit.ly/meditationlibrary The most important thing is your PRESENCE. Be present with whatever you do. The more present you are, the less stress you will have. And remember, the greatest gift you can give is your presence. 2. BREATHE - Connecting to your breath This is one of the simplest and fastest ways to calm down and bring you back to the present (when we are out of the present we become anxious or fearful). Breathe deeply for as long as you need to calm your emotions and allow the stream of thoughts in your mind to soften and get quieter. Listen to soothing music, dim the lights, and just keep breathing. 3. CENTER - Find your center When you feel yourself getting off track, your buttons being pushed, feeling anxious, frustrated or fearful, take a moment to ground by coming back to your breath and drop inside. Connect to your heart and feel your center. Come back to you. You can also take a walk outside (intentionally) to help ground you. 4. ALIGN - Stay aligned with your highest and best good Allow yourself to say no to things that don't feel like they will add to your life force. Set healthy boundaries and get clear on what YOU need for YOU. Claim it, speak from your heart, and share your truth. Honor your needs and make sure to give yourself what you need so that you can show up and be present for others. 5. CONNECT - Take time to connect deeply Don't go to holiday parties and stay on the surface of life. Allow yourself to be vulnerable, share deeper, and connect deeper. Get to know someone you normally wouldn't talk to. Keep it real. Open up and invite others into your circle. Remember, we need each other and there are many people out there who feel very alone during the holidays, so reach out when you can. 6. PLAY - Make sure to play Laugh and walk through the streets with childlike wonder. Play with the box, not the toy. Be appreciative and infuse your heart and soul with joy. Dance in the living room after dinner, run through the snow, watch funny movies (I would recommend The Vacation if you haven't seen it)! Just make sure to bring more play into your holiday. Lighten things up a bit and don't take it all so seriously... Life is meant to be enjoyed! Don't let this holiday season pass you by without remembering to pause, tune in and be intentional with everything you do. Be clear about your intentions (desired outcome, reason for giving, etc.) and hold those intentions close to your heart. It’s so easy to get caught up in obligations, entertaining, and to-do lists, that we forget our own self-care and find ourselves stressed out, triggered, and then totally drained by the time the new year starts. Take some time to recalibrate and be still. Use the tools above and let this be the year where you make a conscious choice to create a new story. Cheers to you this holiday season, Heather Fantin Spiritual Breakthrough Coach Enlighten Your Mind - Embody Your Soul - Empower Your Life |