written by Elizabeth Irvine
Elizabeth Irvine: nurse, educator, jewelry designer and award-winning author. She is the founder and owner of Truewellbeing Inc. — visit her website to purchase her books and intentional jewelry and sign up for soulful workshops and retreats around the world. www.elizabethirvine.com.
For me, this time of year brings feelings of joy and excitement. Yet, in the same moment these next two months also serve up overwhelming feelings. How to manage all of my tasks, emotions, activities with some sense of joy? As a mother, the holiday season asks us to continue to juggle all of our normal daily balls of responsibility plus add in a few more “balls of joy” to the mix— holiday shopping, decorating, cooking and entertaining to name a few.
YOU HOLD THE POWER.
What if I told you this year, this holiday season is different from years past? What if you intuitively knew you held the power to create a new way of being present, feeling honest gratitude, generosity and genuine joy through the festivities. If you are reading this, YOU, are the centripetal force. You hold the ability to set the tone. To command the essence of a holiday season full of comfort and joy— for yourself first, and to radiate out to those around you. You are the moon driving the tide, when you are in balance, things tend to fall into place.
Create a Magical Season from Within.
The following are my four best tips to create a holiday full of comfort and joy:
1. YOU KNOW MORE THAN YOU THINK.
Be open to the idea that you know more than you think. And, you are capable of more than you know. Create a feeling of knowingness. Feel the power of having a balanced energy. How does this new sensation make you feel? Empowered and peaceful? Through the midst of “too much to do” you are a calm and balanced force. As a parent, we set the tone.
2. WRITE THE LAST PAGE FIRST.
Take a moment right now to visualize (and write it down if you have time) a magical holiday season for you and your loved ones. Perhaps reflect back on last year, what was your favorite part? Least favorite? What can you do differently this year to shift the energy? How can you bring more meaningful joyful harmony and peaceful gratitude into the season?
3. CULTIVATE THE HABIT.
If you want to feel a holiday of comfort and joy, what about all the stress that surrounds. How do you remedy this and engage in self-care? Do you give yourself the luxury of a quiet walk alone, a warm soak in the bathtub, a guided meditation—tools to disconnect you from your mind’s constant chatter and get you grounded? Here is one of my favorite simple, yet very effective self-soothing techniques. Try it now. Pause and bring your awareness to your breath. Notice you are breathing. Take a deep inhalation and slow exhalation. As you continue to breathe like this keep count with your fingers. Simply count to yourself using your fingers to keep track. As you count, use each of your fingers touch the thumb of each hand. I am breathing in and out 1, I am breathing in and out 2, I am breathing in and out 3, I am breathing in and out 4. Repeat this eight times, so you use all of your fingers and both hands. At this point your body is responding physically, your entire autonomic system is able to relax. How do you feel?
4. VIBRATIONAL ESSENCE OF YOUR DESIRE.
Dedicate this small amount of time and energy to set your intention. The payback will be huge. Create a theme, a mantra to bring you back on course this time of year. Such as, “I am balanced in peace and joy this holiday season and I radiate that.” Use these techniques above as your “go-to” resources. May your holiday season find you among those you love, radiating peace, gratitude and joy.
