Have a stress-free holiday this season by planning your holiday season mindfully.
The kids are back in school, the weather is getting colder, the daylight is shorter, and the nights are longer. We just passed the fall equinox, when the light and dark were equal and balanced.
It is officially the fall season, which will soon lead us to the longest night of the year (the winter solstice on 12/21) and into the holidays. Working within the natural cycles of the earth and moon’s energy allows one to be in the flow instead of against it. Staying organized also allows life to flow freely around you, drama–free and stress–free (okay, maybe not stress-free, but significantly reduced).
Holidays can be highly stressful for a variety of reasons. Spending “quality time” with relatives, having unrealistic expectations, participating in consumerism run wild, and having credit card bills to show for it can all add up. Too many events and activities without getting enough sleep and enjoying too much rich food and drink can add up.
What if this year you did it differently?
Sit and imagine or think about how you’d like your winter and holiday season to unfold.
How To Have A Stress-Free Holiday – An Exercise
Part of being organized is prioritizing how you want to spend your limited and precious time.
Here is an exercise in thinking mindfully and planning how you will plan your holiday season. Sit down and make a list with three columns:
- The first column lists the activities that you always do, are expected to do, and are tradition
- In the second column, list the chores you will need to do to make this happen: buying food, making cookies, decorating, wrapping gifts, sending out cards, etc.
- The third column lists what you always think about doing but never do.
- Go through column 1 and circle the ones you love
- Ditto for column 2
- In column three, pick one to add to your schedule
- The items you did not circle in columns 1 and 2 – cross out and choose not to do this year
The purpose of doing this activity is to self-reflect.
Think ahead about what you like about the holidays so you can be more proactive in your planning instead of reacting to things now. When making these things happen, you are doing it with a happy heart and are in the flow. I also hope it helped you start thinking about possible things to eliminate, giving you more time for the things you want to do.
Things you dread doing (something that you should be doing instead of what you want to do) will have negative energy, potentially leaving you feeling more stressed out.
Examine your to-do list for things you should be doing vs. stuff you want to do. Think about the energy cost to you when you spend time doing things that do not lift your spirit. Is it possible to delegate some items on your list to someone else?
It is time to set your priorities and spend time and energy on stuff that truly enhances your life.
Happy Holidays!
Karen Brooks is an Inspired Organizer at her business, Master Your Disaster, LLC. She helps people and companies create organized and sacred spaces for a peaceful and harmonious life. Serving in McMinnville, Newberg, Lincoln City, Salem, Oregon, and surrounding areas. You can reach her at masteryourdisaster@gmail.com or call 503-881-7652