Holiday Stress: Loving More This Holiday Season
Christmas has always been my favorite time of year. Each year it sparks an inner light that takes me back to the wonderment of Santa Claus, Christmas Carols, baking cookies and decorating the tree. I look forward to getting out the ceramic Santa Clause cookie plate I made when I was a little girl. It still has the yellowed crack in it from when we glued Santa’s hat back on. And lets not forget the homemade Christmas tree bell ornaments made from upside down wax paper cups covered in aluminum foil from when I was in Preschool. Now that Maddie is in Preschool, I can’t wait to make some ornaments with her this year.
As the outside temperatures drop, the light and warmth of the hearth draws me inward. Not everyone has a beloved “kookamonga” family, as I endearingly call them, to go home to. I am so blessed to have such a loving family I can fly home to each and every year. While on the outside, our tree might be perfectly trimmed, even we have holes in the tree that we fill up with ornaments to hide the void. No family is without its trials and tribulations or holiday stress. Whether you have a family that you are close to or not, no holiday is complete without a little bit of tension and stress. People might snap at you, your tree might fall off the roof of your car, or your bank account might be incredibly thin. And let’s not forget all the extra sugar, caffeine, alcohol and junk food that are fueling your system! Maybe this even triggered an outbreak for you. This stress can ruin a holiday if you let it! So, what is the trick to move through the holidays with ease and grace? Loving what is!
What’s that, you might ask? It is about loving whatever and whomever is in your life right now. Maybe you are all alone this holiday season. Maybe you have a crazy family member that always pushes your buttons. Maybe your health is not very good right now. Whatever it is, you can find that place of grace. Here’s the key to your peace. Ready? You might not be able to control your environment, but you can control how you react to it.
What would it look like if you responded to your environment this holiday season with gratitude and love? Whenever something or someone triggers you, take a deep breath and reconnect to your heart space. Instead of immediately reacting, ask yourself a few questions. What, in this moment are you grateful for? Is there an opportunity to connect on a deeper level? Is your knee jerk reaction to defend your position to be right? Is there a lesson to be learned? Could you respond with a greater capacity for love for yourself or another? What might your friend or family member really need in this moment? Is this something our Pink Tent forum could support you in?
When we can take a moment and pause, we can truly be in the present moment as opposed to reacting to our old past. As family and friends come together, sometimes old wounds are triggered and we act from a place in the past….an often wounded past. If you are struggling financially, do you have enough for today and if so, then only take on today. So, instead of flipping your finger off to the guy that steals your parking space, take a deep breath and consciously choose your next step. Would it be so crazy for you to wish him love and light? Maybe if you knew his holiday story, you would be more compassionate toward him.
The holiday season is truly an opportunity to expand your heart and to practice forgiveness. It is a time to count our blessings, for whatever you might be going through, it could be worse. Take the time to randomly write down all the things you are grateful for and place the list where you can see it everyday. As you begin to focus on what IS working in your life and truly loving the present for what it is, it becomes the very best present you could ever give yourself. Sending you lots of love and light, wherever you are this holiday season. I can’t wait to meet you in our women’s only forum for women supporting women with herpes.
Live. Love. Thrive.
Dr. Kelly Author of Amazon’s bestselling book, Live, Love, and Thrive with Herpes: A Holistic Guide for Women
