I know I’m not alone in feeling like each year goes by faster than the one before it. I literally feel like it was just summer and I blinked and now I’m getting ready for the holidays.
That’s the thing about this life….while the days may be long (especially if you have kids…then you totally get this!), the years are certainly short. Which is why being mindful and present with every moment is so important. Especially as we head into the holidays…the time where our lives become even more chaotic. We do more, we spend more, we eat more. We stretch ourselves thin, become overwhelmed and consumed by expectations.
In this week’s podcast, “Stop pleasing and appeasing this holiday season”, I’m diving into the unnecessary stresses around the holidays. The things that make us anxious, unhappy, spread too thin. Because the result of those things? We don’t even enjoy the process of it all. Head here to listen now → http://bit.ly/CHANGEbyCHOICEpodcast
I’ve already been speaking with people who are already feeling anxious and stressed about the upcoming holidays. It’s supposed to be a time of joy, but it’s one of the times that brings on the most depression, stress and illness because we tend to be unaligned with the choices we are making. We aren’t taking care of our physical bodies, honoring our time and our finances and then we feel the consequences every January.
Let’s discuss where all this stress and overwhelm comes from and take note for yourself where things are coming up for you.
Time:
Does time and the apparent lack of it cause you stress? Do you feel obliged to do things over the holidays that you just don’t want to do? We often can feel like we are being pulled in so many directions; there is so much to do and so many places to go and people to visit but not enough time to do it all. Assess right now what your time looks like; are you able to take some time off? What families, friends and parties do you feel obliged to?
Where could you set some boundaries or make some choices? You don’t have to apologize for where you are choosing to spend your time. Choose the top priority ones for YOU and enjoy them; make it quality time spent.
Self Care:
Where do you tend to overindulge over the holidays? Food? Drink? Lack of sleep? Where do you fall short in terms of taking care of yourself? It doesn’t have to be so extreme; you don’t have to say “F it” and throw all of your self care out the window. You can indulge and enjoy but still maintain some of your self care practices.
Finances:
Are you stressed out thinking about how much you need to buy? Are there certain expectations that make you feel uncomfortable? Are you going to feel the consequences of your financial choices in the New Year? At the end of the day, you have to protect YOU. It might be time to redefine what the holidays are all about; limit the amount of things. Things aren’t what strengthen relationships, make memories or make us happy. Set a budget for yourself and make a choice that’s reasonable for where you are at. Let go of the expectations and pressure around gift giving; the thought really is what matters most.
If you have children in your life, I encourage you this year to set a learning lesson around the holiday season. Why are we positioning our kids to always be in a place of wanting more, needing more and not appreciating the things they have? Maybe it’s time to change up the dialogue with our children; go out and serve in the community. Teach gratitude for the blessings in your life and do what you can to spread joy to those less fortunate.
Regardless of where you feel the stress during the holidays, it’s important that you honor yourself. Honor your space, your time and your energy. Don’t put yourself in situations that aren’t going to make you feel good. Set yourself up for success so that when it’s all over, you can look back feel great about the choices that you’ve made.
Don’t start off your new year in a deficit – financially, energetically, spiritually and physically. You own how your holidays go and the choices that you make. Find a little clarity and set some boundaries so that when the holidays end and January comes, you’re not feeling that deficit. Instead, you’re looking back feeling like you enjoyed your time and it was the best of you.
Let’s make the holiday season different this year.
Levelled up.
More peaceful.
More joyous.
More about the human spirit and contribution and gratitude and less about the overwhelm, the expectations, the consumption, and the need to please.
Join me on this podcast episode and let’s make this the best holiday season you’ve ever had. Listen here → http://bit.ly/CHANGEbyCHOICEpodcast
I’d love to hear from you – how are YOU going to bring more joy and peace this holiday season? Head over to Change by Choice and send me a message! I would love to hear from you.
Originally published at www.charlotteferreux.com