3 Easy Ways To Embrace Joy This Holiday Season

As the holiday season ramps up - sometimes our vision of a winter wonderland can easily take a sharp turn into Stressville. For a multitude of reasons, the season to be jolly can often trigger the opposite in many of us. Exhale, allow yourself to feel what you're feeling!

We need to honor it’s not always easy, especially when we are busy with extra to-do’s and calendar events.

Life is about perspective.

Here are some ways we can shift our brains into self-care mode and help our spirits enjoy the tinsel and cookies!

Tips on dealing with Love and Loss

I understand, all too well, that holiday season can trigger grief about people we’ve lost or even lost relationships.

Allow yourself to honor that pain. Is there something you can do to replace the rituals that have been shared or honor the memory of that person or spend some time with those who are sharing your grief? Allow yourself to be brave, step forward into the uncharted territory, you never know what joy might be waiting for you - give yourself and opportunity to find it!

Focus on what you have Instead of what you lack

It’s easy to say, I don’t have ___________ And if I did have __________, this holiday season would be fine. Flip the script and be Thankful for what you do have.

Think of 3 things right now! Write them down and when the Scrooge mindset sets in, read them! And use the new year as an opportunity to set a plan to create some of those things for next year. Let those things that you are wanting be a motivator for a prosperous 2018.

Sometimes that thought comes from a feeling that we are not good enough without (whatever your blank is) . It’s never too late to start embracing the beauty of who you Are NOW! In case you missed the single last spring (lol)...Be Your Own Kind of Beautiful!

You are truly an amazing unique spirit. You are what you have You are NOT what you perceive you are lacking. Embracing who we are and being grateful for what we have opens the magical space within our hearts to bring new things in.

Honor thy Self

This works in 2 ways….

Some people are just not holiday people - if you can’t stand the Christmas music and tinsel makes you queasy? It’s ok to watch Netflix and allow the elves to wrap the presents. In other words, there’s no law that you have to take part in the merry-making. Honor that it's just not your ‘thang, no need to make excuses, rock on and go about your business as per usual :)

If you are in the spirit, buying, wrapping, planning, partying, and caroling? Don’t forget to take care of your precious self! Try to avoid too many consecutive late nights, cookies and egg nog. We can’t enjoy the joy if our tank is running low on gas. Get your rest and allow yourself to say no to the things you don’t want to to and that gives you more stamina to participate in the things that fill your cup! Yay!

Well, I am wishing you a season of light, joy and many blessings.

Shine On!

Gratitude and Love to you!