3 Ways to Stay Calm During The Holidays
Without a doubt, the pressure has been turned up this year. The pandemic has made things much more complicated than we could ever imagine. We have been cooped up in our homes trying to adjust to a new normal; fighting to maintain a sense of calm and most importantly, inner peace. For many, anxiety surrounding the holidays existed prior to the arrival of the devastating coronavirus. Be it due to the pressure to purchase and tastefully deliver perfect presents and figure out holiday plans to stressing about finances and missing loved ones who are no longer here. Let us not even begin to discuss the political climate and other issues we have had to grapple with. Here are 3 ways to stay calm during the holidays despite the challenges we have had and may still be facing.
To start, make living with intention a priority. This means having an honest moment of reflection about what you truly value and what you will do to make it happen regardless of what others think. Making living with intention a priority also means creating boundaries and making them clear. Break free from “performing” to please others and visualize what ultimate peace means to you. Your actions have to align with your values. If it means breaking away from becoming broke every holiday season by not purchasing gifts, then make a plan to shift from that and explain what you will do instead. Whether it is volunteering or making a tiny donation (no amount is ever too small) to a charity that helps kids during the holiday season and beyond then let that be your commitment to inner peace with a purpose.
Secondly, carve self-care and other habits that contribute to your peace into your day. At the beginning or the middle or at the end of the day; you deserve to take some time to release any tension and invite a sense of calm. Beyond that daily time-frame that you have decided on, you could even take a few days to spend time in solitude. If spending time around other people during the holidays heightens your nerves, then plan on doing the exact opposite. You have to be able to enjoy your own company, therefore, break away from the status quo and form your own traditions.
Develop a mantra that invokes peace, quiets your mind and buffers stress that is caused by external or internal factors. In the same manner as certain things cause you distress can a mantra bring about inner calm. It could be a single word that you repeat or a whole sentence that centers you. At the beginning it might feel strange, but overtime you will come to realize how powerful this action can be.
Take a deep breath and I hope these 3 ways to stay calm during the holidays are helpful to you.
Yve (pronounced Eve) is a Public Health and a Sustainable Development Specialist, Content Creator, Podcaster (www.secretsofyve.com ) and the CEO of the PATESI Foundation (www.patesifoundation.org) and PATESI LLC (www.patesillc.com ). Her family’s blog is located at: www.parentsofdragons.com.
