We are now right in the middle of holiday season can you believe it??!!
I am thankful to have learned a few tips over the years to stay sane and have fun!!!
Read on to learn how and I hope you’re having a wonderful weekend!
How can we have an enjoyable Christmas if we aren’t coming from a positive place? If we don’t take care of ourselves, especially when we’re busy, we will end up feeling run down and stressed. If we take regular breaks, we will recharge our batteries, feel better and have more to give to the people we care about. This is probably the best gift you can give this holiday season.
Step one is therefore carving out some time in your schedule now for this upcoming week. I enjoyed a glass of wine while reading a book the other night by the fire and Christmas tree. It was heavenly!
It’s okay to say no. If you’re feeling too overwhelmed and can’t handle the thought of one more party or get together, it’s okay to say no. I give you permission 🙂 What often ends up happening is that we feel resentful when we attend something that we don’t really feel up to. This isn’t the right energy to bring to a gathering either. People can sense when something is off. Most people will respect you for setting boundaries and being truthful. If they give you a hard time then they’re probably not worth the effort. Sorry about the tough love, but it’s true 🙂
Step two is therefore about saying no. Try it at least once this holiday season and experience the liberating feelings that accompany it.
For some people, reuniting with family & friends over the holiday season can be less than spectacular. Have you heard of the Pain-Body?
In Eckhart Tolle’s book, A New Earth, he describes the pain-body as, “… a semiautonomous energy-form that lives within most human beings, an entity made up of emotion. It has its own primitive intelligence, not unlike a cunning animal, and its intelligence is directed primarily at survival. Like all life-forms, it periodically needs to feed-to take in new energy-and the food it requires to replenish itself consists of energy that is compatible with it’s own, which is to say, energy that vibrates at a similar frequency. Any emotionally painful experience can be used as food by the pain-body.”
Pretty heavy stuff, I know. Essentially what he is saying is that even though we don’t want to believe it, there is a part in all of us that feeds off of negative thinking – and that actually likes drama! When we push other people’s buttons on purpose this is what’s going on!
Tolle goes on to explain that the Pain-Body is usually triggered by a situation that is affiliated with a certain kind of emotional pain suffered in the past. This is why most people’s Pain-Bodies come out at family events. We tend to hang on to a lot of past hurts and resentments when it comes to our families. Imagine all of this coming to the table in one seating!
Tolle says the best way to lose identification with the Pain-Body is to recognize it when it c omes out. Therefore step three is to acknowledge the pain and negative emotion you are feeling. Just being aware of it is all you need. Tolle says, “The knowing prevents the old emotion from rising up into your head and taking over not only the internal dialogue, but also your actions as well as interactions with other people.”
Step four is reflection. Use your time off this holiday season to reflect on this past year. What did you accomplish? What went well in your business and life? What didn’t go that well? Where can you improve?
You’ve probably guessed that step five is thinking about where you want to go. What are your big hopes and dreams for 2013? Try not to settle for what you think you can achieve. Really shoot for the stars and dream big! This is your chance to really go for what you want and you deserve ultimate abundance in all areas of your life!
Step six: Be thankful for where you are, where you came from and what’s coming next! Enjoy the ride and be grateful for the journey. Everything you experience is shaping and developing the amazing person that you are!