Coping Skills for the Holiday Season

The holiday season is a challenge. Our bodies are adjusting to the seasonal shift and we are craving time to cozy-up for some self care.

But, we can't slow down yet. We are taking stock of our history, accomplishments and missteps during the past year, and managing work, friend, and family relationships.  This is a lot to process, ALL AT ONCE!!

No matter what you are working with, I've got some mindfulness tips to help you navigate the holiday season, spirit intact.

By the way… 
YEAH, I’M INCLUDING A LOT OF ALL CAPS IN THIS POST. I WANT TO HELP YOU SLOW DOWN AND SOMETIMES IT HELPS TO YELL TO GET YOUR ATTENTION! 
ok, got that out of the way, phew.

GRAB THAT MOMENT
First thing in the morning..
Take a moment to breath and just drink some water.

Your cute spirit has been traveling through space and time all night, doing some exploring while attempting to help you rest up from your busy schedule.
You wake up feeling groggy and a bit out-of-it. Well, no biggie.

HOLD UP! Don’t reach for that coffee first..

INSTEAD, take some tips from my Meditation Foundations class:
First thing is to shift your experience.
Sit up, take some breaths.
Stretch, bend your knees and elbows, and wiggle your arms and toes. 
Then, drink some water. Have that glass waiting for you to take those sips. You are getting your spirit back from its travels and into your body, ready to work with you for the day.
Welcome the transition with gratitude. 

GO OUTSIDE
Get moving and do it outside.
Get your feet in the dirt. 
Walk down your block, to the park, go for a hike in the woods, or check out the beach.
It doesn’t matter where you go, just plan to get outside, and do it every day if you can.
Nature has a way of cutting through all the garbled nonsense mucking up our space. It helps us release useless energy and replace it with information that is instead useful and freeing.
YOU CAN DO THIS RIGHT NOW!
Put down your phone. Don’t waste time on social media or watching that show.
Go outside!
Those time suckers can never compete with the fulfillment and healing opportunity that moments in nature provide. 

DO SOMETHING FUN
This one is easy..
Get out there and do something you think is fun.
Drop all other work, priorities, and lists of things you need to do.
Taking the time do something you think is enjoyable refreshes the spirit.
Refreshing the spirit allows you to be more conscious in the present moment. 
This allows you to act with more focus and therefore more efficiently. 
Therefore, fun is a crucial step in the process of being able to leap tall buildings in a single bound.
Additionally! That positive spark of energy will ignite others into a good mood and who doesn't want to be a bearer of glad tidings?

CREATE CEREMONY
Bring some ceremony to your decorating, cooking, baking, and gift buying projects! To create a more mindful experience, think about what you are trying to express, who the creating is for, and how you can bring more love to the experience for yourself and then gift that to others. Slow down the process of doing by enacting these steps. Each project will become infinitely more enjoyable.

PLAN AHEAD
Got a big meeting, family event, or party coming up?
Nervous about what might go down?
Take a few moments ahead of time to create your intention for an experience.
PSYCHIC PRO TIP:
Sit in a comfortable chair with your eyes closed.
Pick a color, any color, that represents a successful experience.
Then, imagine every thought, feeling, action that would contribute to the event being a success for you. Get detailed here, and add in sensory experiences. Have fun with this!
Every day leading up to the event, picture this color and play with all aspects of the daydream you created.
Take time to adjust, add, or just have fun.
YOU HAVE THE POWER TO CREATE YOUR EXPERIENCE.
Do it, get creative and work with it.

MANAGE DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES
Nervous about finding yourself in a verbal battle with someone over issues or morals or values or whatever gets you riled up?
Well, if you have been practicing actions 1-4 on this list, you’re already ahead of the game. You have stronger grounding than most people out there.
Here are some other useful tips to help you keep your sh*t together. 
OBSERVE
Feelings becoming elevated?
In a verbal battle that will get you nowhere but deeper into drama?
Past hurts starting to surface?
Ready to defend and yell and back yourself out of the corner, or put someone else in one?

Good, I’m glad you noticed.
Now..
USE YOUR AWARENESS
Take a moment, become aware of your breathing.
You can do this right in the middle of the moment, and even when you are arguing or battling.
Finding your breath amidst chaos engages your ability to make a decision.
Figure out your choices -- and remember you always have the option to stop competing, or judging, or blaming, or bashing, or verbally attacking the other.
Those actions produce no positive effects, ever.
They do not make you the better person or more right, they just steal your energy away from moments when you can be living a lighter existence.
If your breathing has uncovered you in one of these modes..

DECIDE TO WALK AWAY FROM UNPRODUCTIVE, TROUBLING EXPERIENCES.

After all, in that moment, they will not change your mind and you will not change theirs. 
Observing a situation allows you to act in a mindful manner.
Walk away, keep your spirit intact.
​If you feel passionate about the topic you were engaged in, find a more productive manner to express it. Volunteer your time and/or donate money!

GET COZY
Wrap it up!
The day was a big one. 
Last thing you do at night, take some moments to enjoy breathing.
Think about what you were grateful for that day.
You had lots of thoughts about lots of stuff, and moved around a lot, and communicated, and ate food. That is a lot of things for one body to handle day after day.
Thank that body for all its good work.
Breath with it, slowly, and then turn your awareness to the flow of information your are receiving about the history of your day. Let all of that  wash over you. Don’t think about it! Just let it wash and spin and spin and rinse. Then, give yourself the opportunity to think, and feel, what you are grateful for that day. Keep it in the present and be specific! Let the good feelings wash over you and move you into the dreamtime. 

one more important tip... 
THE HOLIDAYS ARE A MIRROR OF THE CHALLENGES BEFORE US ALL YEAR. IF WE EQUIP OURSELVES WIT THE BEST TOOLS TO TAKE CARE OF OUR OWN SPIRIT FIRST, WE CAN MEET ANY SITUATION IN A CONSTRUCTIVE MANNER. 

done with the yelling. :)

Happy Holidays, Readers. 
I hope these messages of mindful inspiration find you well on your journey through this holiday season.