12 Days of Holiday Mindfulness
This time of year can cause a lot of stress and can be emotionally and mentally draining. So I invite you to have things go differently this year. Practice the following mindfulness tips to be more grounded, present, and mindful this holiday season. Each step will allow you to reduce your overwhelm, be intentional with your time, and savor however you’re celebrating.
Day 1: Show gratitude
Day one, I have to start with gratitude.
This is something that always helps ground me.
What are you grateful for right now?
Day 2: Identify your overwhelm patterns
How does it usually go around the holidays?
It helps to become aware of your typical patterns so that you don't automatically fall into them again this year
Consider how it usually goes with family, friends, and work.
Do you typically give and give and give until there is nothing left for yourself?
Do you prioritize everyone else's needs over your own well-being?
Are you so crazy busy with work that you can't think of anything else?
Day 3: Acknowledge your priorities
When you're feeling burnt out, first remember that you're not alone, a lot of us are feeling it this year.
Remember what's most important to you. What really truly matters to you this month?
Once you're clear on that, you can let the rest go.
Day 4: Set an intention
Instead of just going into auto-pilot and running through the motions because you're so busy...
Set an intention.
Maybe a word or a phrase that will bring you back to how you want it to go or what's most important.
Mine is love. What’s yours?
Day 5: Visualize how you want it to go
How do you want this holiday season to be different?
Start by considering how you'd rather it go, in an ideal world.
What's different? What is there more of? What is there less of?
From that place of clarity, you can begin to see what needs to shift today to get you closer to that place.
Day 6: Focus your energy
Where is your energy actually going this holiday season?
This time of year usually has me feeling like my energy is being pulled in a million different directions. There is a lot more to coordinate, prioritize, and attend.
To help you stayed grounded and mindful this holiday season, consider:
Where is my energy leaking? i.e. where am I unnecessarily losing energy?
Usually there are things that we keep thinking about, are overthinking about, or that are just distracting us.
Take care of that shit and let it go. Focus your energy on what really matters to you.
Day 7: Limit disempowering language
Red flag language you’re probably saying (and constantly thinking) this holiday season:
I'm crazy busy
I feel like I should…
I have to do…
I'll try to make it
They’re likely automatic for most people, but have you noticed how disempowering they can be? It can put additional unnecessary pressure on yourself.
Stay in your power by limiting this language, here are a few examples:
I'm crazy busy —> I have a lot of commitments right now
I feel like I should… —> I would like to… OR I do not have to…
I have to do… —> I get to…
I'll try to make it —> I can’t commit to that right now
Day 8: Take quick, meaningful action
What's something you've been putting off that you could do right now?
I mean it, right now:
Send that email that's been on your to do list for weeks
Cancel that monthly subscription you don't actually use
Send that text to your friend you thought of today
Day 9: Take care of yourself
Are you taking time for yourself this busy holiday season?
Here’s some ideas to get you started:
celebrate your small wins
go to bed early
turn off your phone notifications
call a friend
go for a walk
take a nap
take yourself out to lunch
drink hot cocoa
watch a holiday movie
hug someone
Day 10: Pay it forward
Where could you pay it forward to someone else this week?
During the holidays we tend to get so caught up in all the things we have going on (planning, stressing, shopping) that we aren't very present.
Giving to someone else can be an unexpected form of love and gratitude (both ways).
Day 11: Reconnect with someone
I bet there's someone that's been on your mind lately.
The holidays tend to make us reminisce and think about all the people we love and care about.
Take a few minutes and reach out to one of those people. They'd love to hear from you.
And you may be surprised how good it feels to connect solely based on love.
Day 12: Align your thoughts, words, and actions
The number one way to be present and in alignment with how you want it to go, is to align your thoughts, words, and actions
Being clear on how you want it to go differently, believing it in your thoughts, and taking actions to move you closer to that will make all the difference
So, how do you want the holiday season to go?
What about that excites you?
What actions can you take to move you closer to that reality?
What makes you believe it is possible?
Brittany is a life & leadership coach, trainer, and the founder of Hello Velocity where she helps ambitious individuals and corporate teams enhance their performance by working smarter, not harder. When she isn't building her business, you can find her planning her next travel adventure, taking a yoga or kickboxing class, or checking out a local brewery. She was recently acknowledged as one of the top coaches in Charlotte, NC.
