If we are pushing all day , using will to power through a series of tasks , it may feel as though each task grows larger and more daunting than the last . The key is to stop pushing . Striving is tiring and constant striving turns quickly into exhaustion . So drop the willpower and try to relax yourself back into a more natural flow of tasks instead .
Sit down . Find a chair or sit on the floor against a wall . Breathe in and breathe out . Just sit for a few moments , relax , and do nothing except breathe . What you are doing is using breath to slow down time . Of course , you can ’ t really control the clock , but you can change how time feels to you by getting back in touch with your senses . Breathing slowly and deeply is a shortcut back to sanity when you feel stressed . If something of tragic proportions happens , like forgetting to put the turkey out to thaw or neglecting to mail a package early enough to arrive on time , just keep breathing . When you panic and start berating yourself , it ’ s game-over for your holiday spirit . So , when inevitable stresses strike and mistakes happen : simply sit , breathe and take a few moments to collect yourself .
Tune in . Once you can maintain a feeling of calm , pay attention to what is going on inside you . There may be a swirl of Black Friday competitive shopping going on all around you , but you can transcend any amount of external static by getting a grip on what ’ s happening within . What you are looking for is your inner compass . Some folks call their intuition the still , small voice and others may rely on their inner Jiminy Cricket . Some people have a spiritual attitude towards their intuition , whereas others may prefer a more religious approach . It really doesn ’ t matter what you call your intuition , as long as you can tune in to it . Practice staying tuned in whether in calm or busy environments . If you can stay tuned in and trust your gut no matter what else is going on , you ’ ll be the happiest person around .
Appreciate something . Now that you are calm , cool and collected , take a moment to appreciate one thing . Consider something simple : notice a pretty wreath or feel the magic of watching falling snow or the warmth of your coat on a brisk day . Once you get a grip on one thing you can enjoy thinking about , why not go ahead and think about it as long as you appreciatively can . When you feel done , move on to the next natural thing to appreciate . You may feel grateful for something right in front of you or for something more abstract .
Whatever you genuinely feel positive about counts . Take a couple of moments to appreciate little things until you feel a smile spread across your face .
Let go . No doubt , once you stop thinking about good things , a few stressful things that have been lined up waiting for your attention will pop into your mind and start jumping up and down and waving their arms . But here ’ s the thing . You just got yourself into a pretty good place . Do you really want to go back to square one all over again ? I ’ m sure you don ’ t . And don ’ t feel badly about wanting to milk feeling good as long as possible . It ’ s good for you . So keep it up . Don ’ t revert right back into a stress monster . If nagging worry keeps dogging you , just acknowledge the concern and gently wave it to the side as though clearing a butterfly from your path .
Act thoughtfully . Ease back into your day , moving forward mindfully . Drop the list for now . What is the single next most important thing to do next ? Intersperse actions with self-care . Do a task then put on some cheerful tunes . Do another then light a wood wick candle . Do another then put the water on for tea . Take short breaks after completing a series of tasks . Have small snacks throughout the day so you don ’ t overeat at mealtime . Maybe put your list away for a little while . Later , pull your list back out and check a few more things off of it . But don ’ t become a slave to your to-dos . Remember , you set the tone for your holiday . And you can stay in charge by taking excellent care of yourself .
10 Steps To A More Joyful Holiday Season
1 . Go to bed by 10 pm each night 2 . Get up an hour earlier and have some daily you-time 3 . Watch all your favorite holidays movies 4 . Take a long winter ’ s nap 5 . Put a stack of inspirational books on your nightstand 6 . Write down your blessings 7 . Make a list of gifts you want and distribute it 8 . Take a long , hot bath with music and bath salts 9 . Listen to inspirational talks , podcasts or books on tape 10 . Say kind things to yourself all day long
ST JOHNS PARENT MAGAZINE | 7