Surviving The Festive Season: Your Soulful Holiday Guide.
As the festive season fast approaches, I wanted to delve past the tinsel and glittering lights to explore some helpful ways to protect and nurture your energy whilst fostering family harmony during the holidays.
This time of year has the potential to invoke exhaustion, anxiety, grief, loss, conflict and isolation. So it is important to have some self care practices in order to stay anchored and preserve your inner reserves. Whether you are travelling, spending time with extended family, rushing around trying to create the perfect christmas or caring for your kids now that school has finished for the year... this post is your soulful guide for the festive season.
Today I'm sharing my top six soulful ways to stay centred, energised and in your heart.
1. Start with Thankfulness.
When you can start each day by focusing on what you are truly thankful for, you place yourself directly into the pure energy of the heart. This practice fortifies patience, compassion, trust and joy - and provides the same vibrational uplift as a one hour meditation.
The Process: Upon waking, drink a glass of water and grab your journal and favourite pen. Begin to list the blessings in your life. If this feels tricky, start with the simple things in your life that bring you joy and let that expand. Do this for 15 minutes.
When I first began this process 10 years ago, my life was in turmoil. I could literally only write 4 things. But I was eventually able to expand this for myself by showing up for myself and entering my heart a little more each day.
To take this process a little deeper and to activate your heart more, as you write each blessing, allow yourself to feel into why they feel good to you. What feeling does each blessing generate that inspires and feels so good to you.
2. Establish (energetic) Boundaries.
As a gentle person who would shy away from confrontation, the idea of boundaries has always created anxiety for me. Until embarking on this path, I would tremble at the thought of having to tell someone how I wished to be treated in order to feel safe. My boundaries were blurred and I suffered because of it.
But when I learned how to cultivate boundaries from the energy level, a far more experience occurred. By getting clear on my needs and how I could first meet them, space was created to then consider the remaining factors that I wanted to be a part of my life. Or not.
The Process: Firstly, make a list of your needs - making sure to include the self care basics such as adequate sleep, hydration, nutrition, movement, connection, love, happiness, time out and so on. Spend time on each to determine what each of these look like, how often you need them and consider ways that you can give these to yourself.
Next, the remaining factors - the types of people you have in your life, communication styles, what you are willing to say yes to and what your expectations are of the outside world.
On a new page of your journal, write the heading, 'What I Am Available For.' Then start to list these out by focusing on the positive variants of each. Some examples to help you get started are: - positive conversations
- kindness and understanding
- laughter, fun times - honesty and transparency
- the freedom to choose - support and encouragement - perfect health
Tailor the list to your specific needs and the boundaries you want to create. By writing these down physically, you are creating a pattern change with the Universe and life will begin to respond to your terms accordingly.
*TIP: If you have trouble saying no to certain things, it pays to have some general, non-confrontational responses to use. This way you can express yourself confidently.
3. Choose Peace.
In every situation, there is a choice of how to respond. This can be especially true when spending extended time with family, as frustrations rise and your patience can be unwillingly tested.
But when you can let go of how you need things to be, accept that not all people will see and hear you - you set yourself free from the expectation that comes with needing things to change.
When you don't need to be right, and find ways to make peace with things as they are, you give yourself the greatest gift of all. Peace.
The Process:
In any disharmonious situation, firstly pause and take some time to feel into the outcome you wish to achieve, along with the benefits to all. Knowing this provides the inner governance for you to best navigate.
When you can ask yourself what you can give to the situation, rather than needing to be right, you will find you will reach higher outcomes and reduce potential of conflict immensely.
Giving doesn't necessarily mean materialistically or giving in... this instead can be the giving of time, space or additional consideration. It can mean listening with a neutral ear, or offering suggestions that care for the benefit of all involved.
Feel into what feels peaceful to you and the answers will come, keeping in mind that sometimes things can't be resolved and accepting that protects your peace too.
4. Simplify and Ritualise.
Ritualising is a process close to my heart. Before my awakening, my mind was overactive and I suffered consistent anxiety. I had trouble sleeping, I was a serial multi-tasker and meditation? Completely out of the question! I could barely sit still.
Finding this process completely changed my life. I was able to be more present, and anchored, and I began to feel my soul presence when finding acivities that invited me into a deeper sensory experience.
The Process:
I began to switch out my normal activities (typically done at lightning speed) for more sensory, slower versions. I simplified my work schedule, automated the tasks that felt stressful or heavy, and incorporated more me time into my days.
This looked like:
Using a stovetop kettle instead of electric to make tea.
Warming foods on the stove instead of using the microwave.
walking to my local stores instead of ordering online.
handwriting letters instead of always emailing and texting.
taking a nice, warm bath instead of a shower.
incorporating self-massage with my fave moisturiser each night before bed.
baking and cooking instead of buying ‘instant’ foods.
taking slow, mindful breaths during these slower activities to cultivate a calm and clear mind.
These may seem like simple changes, but are powerful in settling your energy, stabilising your emotions and increasing mindful awareness through soothing, sensory experiences.
All of our power lies within the now moment, so when you can bring your focus here more often, you will find that your mind is not racing so much and you will be more in your natural state of flow.
When in presence, you become a vessel through which the energy of tranquility, acceptance, and love flows effortlessly. Your family, in turn, absorbs this energy, creating a ripple effect that extends beyond the present moment.
TIP: Take some time to reflect on what aspects in your life you can slow down or switch out for rituals that feel soothing and beautiful for you.
5. Take Soulful Time.
Having time out for yourself is a must, especially during the holiday season. It has been a big year in many ways, and you my dear, deserve a break.
No matter what your obligations are, or what things you tell yourself you need to do, I am here to gently remind you that without your inner reserves in tact, you will be at risk of burnout.
I've covered meeting your own needs earlier in this post, but now you need to take action and make sure this can occur. There are many ways to revitalise yourself and fill your own cup first.
This can look like:
Delegating or automate tasks.
Saying no to what you don't feel up to.
Simplify as much as you can - such as activities, meals and schedules.
Stay in bed for an extra hour.
Go to bed one hour earlier.
Get support from loved ones.
Switch your scrolling time to a self care practice.
Spoil yourself with a pampering experience.
Communicate your needs.
Take smaller, more frequent rests.
Planning quality time with yourself, friends or partner.
Batch cook your meals to free up more time.
6. Create Joyful Festive Traditions.
The festive season can be filled with traditions that have become outdated or that don't serve you or your family any longer. Don't be afraid to change things up in ways that feel lighter and more resonant.
If you usually follow the same routine each year, then this is your invitation to review and explore some other options to celebrate the holidays. Are there traditions that your children have outgrown? Are their events that cause you anxiety every year?
Spend time reflecting on what you want the festive season to feel like? What are your goals? More fun or adventure? Less stress and fuss? Are you craving travel instead of staying at home?
If you usually feel rushed, how can you slow things down and feel more connected as a family? What wonderful memories can you make with the time you have together?
By allowing yourself go of the usual expectations and explore ways to create new and joyful traditions, you will not only have something new to look forward to, you'll also re-engage your family and become more connected in the process.
At the end of the day, the festive season is about reconnection, giving thanks and spending time with your loved ones. It shouldn't come at great cost. I hope that this post has been helpful inspiring you to create experiences that bring you all of the love, rest and peace that you desire.
With love,
Olivia x
