Mindfulness: A Gift for Yourself
I think we can all agree that one cannot have too much of what Christmas stands for – love, joy, peace, hope, family, togetherness, harvesting memories, sharing of oneself, heartfelt giving and receiving. We all have a desire to be enmeshed in the good things the season brings and we want to wrap ourselves in it. We want to see it all and do it all! We make promises to ourselves that this year we will slow down and take time to soak up the joy of the season. As quick as we make that promise, the season envelopes us and we are blown like a whirlwind from event to event with a myriad of festivities that fill our calendars each week. The pace of the season increases with each item added to our schedules until suddenly the season is gone and its back to work again. We find ourselves left with a melancholy fueled by a lack of rest and regret that the season left all too quickly.
This Christmas season can be one of the most memorable simply by putting mindfulness at the top of your to-do list. Mindfulness is grounding yourself- making thoughtful choices and decisions. It is all about knowing what you want from the season and taking charge of it rather than allowing the season to take charge of you. Mindfulness takes planning and scheduling to a new level. It is about soul-searching…asking yourself serious questions and then taking thoughtful action. Ask yourself: “What does the Christmas season really mean to me and my family?” and then ask yourself: “What events and activities can we do that will compliment that?”
For example, if gift-giving is not an integral part of what Christmas means to you, then spending days at the mall could take precious time away from what really matters to you. Rather than meandering in the mall for hours looking for the “perfect gift”, be intentional by making a list of items that you want to purchase and stick to the list. You may also consider ordering your gifts online. Online shopping can save hours, especially if the site you choose has a chat-box concierge. The key to purchasing that perfect gift is being mindful of the message you want to send with it. Making a mindful purchase equals a meaningful gift!
Mindfulness is especially important during the holiday season. Taking time to ground yourself will allow you to implant special moments in your memory. The most powerful thing you can do for yourself does not have a high price unless you don’t do it…REST. This sounds like a simple thing since our bodies require us to sleep. However, sleep and rest easily evade us during the rush of the Christmas season. Our stinking-thinking tells us to stay up late and then rise early to get more done. Being mindful of the rest your body needs is important to mental and physical health. If you are a person that needs a good ten hours of sleep to make sound decisions, then cutting back on those hours during the holidays is not a good choice. Getting the rest your body needs will increase mindfulness and also save you (and your wallet) from making rash decisions. It can also save you from being dubbed a grinch ��.
I recently practiced mindfulness at a family gathering. As I looked around at my family, I thought to myself that I would love to capture this moment and keep it with me. I sat back, relaxed my body and my mind, took a deep breath and soaked it all in. The chatter of different conversations, the giggles from the grandchildren playing, the smells of the meal lingering in the air, the warm cup of coffee in my hand, and the gratefulness I felt in my heart. I closed my eyes, captured the moment, and relished in the power of the human mind.
So…you have made your list – and checked it twice. You know what is important to you this Christmas. Perhaps there is a special place you want to visit. Go there. Take a moment to soak it all in. Breathe deep. Exhale. Breathe again. Look around you…really observe the sights, the sounds. Take a snapshot with your mind. Being mindful of where you are, how you feel, what you see…all these elements make for a memory. When the season is over and your life is back to a regular routine, you will be able to recall this moment. That is the power of mindfulness. It is a gift you can give yourself time and time again. Mindfulness can counteract the anxieties we have during the Christmas season. If the holidays are a source of anxiety and dread for you, we are here to help.
Reach out to Halos Counseling if you are looking for a therapist in Charlotte or a therapist in Shelby. Schedule a free consult with us to determine if we're a good fit for you.
