What’s the Weather Like Inside?

Christmas. Yule. Hanukkah. Winter Solstice.

In many ways this is a happy time of year – time off from work and school, pretty lights and decorations, gatherings with friends and loved ones, feasting and gift giving.

Inner Storm by PakinamElBanna on DeviantArt
Inner Storm by PakinamElBanna on DeviantArt

And in many ways, this is an extremely stressful time of year. Those fun things can easily turn into obligations – parties with people you may not enjoy spending time with, gifts for everyone and their dog, cooking a big meal which you may not enjoy doing, and where does the extra money come from?

While we monitor the weather outside to make sure our holiday plans go the way we would like, it is also important to monitor the weather INSIDE, and I’m not talking about the temperature in your home.

Self-care is especially important when your stress levels rise. Obviously, you want to minimize the experiences that cause the stress in the first place, and that’s not always a viable option. So what else can you do to minimize your stress?

Here are some of the things that I am doing this holiday season:

  • Get lots of rest. Time off from work means I can sleep in!
  • Keep my commitments to a minimum. We celebrated Solstice with my Circle yesterday. My youngest child’s birthday is today, and once the party is over, we have no plans until after Christmas.
  • Take breaks to do something I enjoy. We started the holidays by going out to see a movie as a family, and I plan to watch movies while I cook and sew.
  • Keep parts of your regular routine. For me that means making sure I make time to meditate, even if it is just for 15 minutes! Meditation helps keep me centered in the storm of activities and obligations.
  • Ask for help. My husband is home (thank goodness!), so I am able to ask for his help with cooking and party planning. He’s also there if I need to vent or talk something out.

Here’s wishing you a sunny disposition this holiday. Merry Christmas! Blessed Yule! Happy Hanukkah! Happy Solstice!

May you have a calm, happy and blessed time this holiday.

Blessings,

Mary

PS. Do you need a little help finding your balance through the holidays? Is your life out of balance? Are your priorities askew? (Like when I find yourself scrubbing the grout with a toothbrush when meanwhile nobody in the house has a clean pair of underwear!) That’s when it’s time to listen to Balance Guided Meditation.