Embracing Self-Care During the Holiday Season
HI, I hope you are doing well. Can you believe the holiday season is upon us? November and December flew by! The shorter days can make it feel like there’s an overwhelming amount to get done in too little time, and many people that I know are feeling fatigued and overwhelmed. Are you feeling this way as well?
It is at times like these that it is important to double down on self care. Alongside the sense of urgency, the holiday season can stir a mix of emotions—excitement, sadness, or a combination of both. Whether you’re traveling to see family, hosting gatherings, or planning a quiet holiday, it’s important to acknowledge that there’s no right or wrong way to experience this time. Though the holidays are filled with blessings and fond memories for some, the holidays and gathering with family can be hectic and even traumatic for others.
Typically, the holiday season can be quite overwhelming regardless of how you choose to spend it. During such hectic times, I often seek accessible ways to cultivate peace and relief amidst the chaos.
With that in mind, I wanted to share three simple self-care practices to help you navigate this season:
📝 A comforting poem, song or movie
🕯️ A grounding meditation
🪩 A practice for setting boundaries
If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed at any point this week, I encourage you to explore these self-care tools.
I recently received an email with the poem, Blessing in the Chaos by Jan Richardson. Keeping these lines in mind, they can help you to center and still yourself to find the peace and energy you desire.
To all that is chaotic
in you,
let there come silence…
Let there be
a calming
of the clamoring,
a stilling
of the voices that
have laid their claim
on you,
that have made their
home in you…
Let there be
an opening
into the quiet
that lies beneath
the chaos,
where you find
the peace
you did not think
possible
and see what shimmers
within the storm.
As this poem illustrates, even amidst chaos, there exists a quiet space where peace can be found. It is a reminder that tranquility is always within reach. Reading these lines, placing one hand on your heart, the other on your belly, and breathing into these thoughts can ease your mind, calm your system, and ground you for the experiences and energies that you may face.
Setting boundaries is important when it comes to navigating people and events that could pull you out of your peace. Consider a boundary practice that complements the meditation. If you find yourself absorbing the energy around you, this visualization can help. I think of the scene in Elizabeth: The Golden Age where she is talking with the Austrian Prince, and she, in an attempt to help him calm his anxieties, tells him to imagine that there is a pane of glass (glas) between him and everyone else. Before entering a crowded space, close your eyes and imagine yourself separated from others by this imaginary pane of glass. The glass blocks the energy of others from entering your space and remember, that energy is not yours to carry. I find this practice incredibly helpful when I am teaching, as I encounter all different kinds of people and energies every day.
This imaginative approach can make boundary-setting feel more playful and flexible, allowing you to stay connected to yourself while engaging with others.
However you are feeling heading into the holidays, and whatever your experiences are old or new, being mindful of your self care and having tools that you can call upon, before, during and after your events can increase your inner peace, joy and overall enjoyment of the holidays.
Whatever holidays you celebrate, may you experience much gratitude, peace, and enjoyment. Happy, merry everything. Be well.
