Finding Joy During the (Stressful) Holiday Season: Tips for Peace & Happiness
“I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put together.”
In my most recent emails, I’ve been writing about ways to establish new habits you want to incorporate into your life in order get rid of the ones that are no longer serving you.
Establishing new empowering habits supports you to feel your best self in mind, body and spirit. It really is through these small action steps, when repeated, habits are formed and thus, old habits can be replaced with these new ones you create.
So, on that subject of habits, my husband and I seem to be making a habit of traveling a lot ever since he retired a few years back. In fact, we got back just 3 weeks ago from another long adventure.
But, what I really want to share with you is how the habit of walking, for me, (and my husband) is a great way to get back into our life at home.
It’s interesting, but it can be a bit disorienting to come back to all that is familiar after you’ve been away from it while exploring other cultures, how people live, the foods they eat and even various transportation modes.
Then, there’s the jetlag thing! We were 8 time zones away for our last week away, 9 times away prior to that…so it’s a bit of adjustment for the body-mind.
But, thank goodness, we both love to walk/hike and find it really helps to ground us in our homeland.
It’s a habit that we’ve established and it works well for us not only for re-orienting us on our returns from traveling, but overall. It supports our well being.
When we got back, it was Fall in the Pacific Northwest, which usually means much cooler temperatures, rain and leaves that are beautifully colored on the trees, but are quickly coming down and making messes that needed cleaning up.
Besides unpacking, laundry, food shopping and all the little things that need taking care of to get settled back into our home life, it can be overwhelming.
I’m not complaining, I feel extremely blessed to be having these opportunities of extensive travel in my life. And at the same time, the reality is that if the overwhelm is not dealt with, the joys of that travel time can quickly be forgotten.
Here’s where the habit of a walk in Nature comes in! We are fortunate to live very close to trails and so can simply walk out our door, up the hill in our neighborhood and within 12 minutes, we’re at a trailhead.
Last week, as I was headed back down the trailhead, I was thinking about my community of Mind Matters, clients and my social media connections, I realized that I wanted to share how walking supports me in feeling better, relieving overwhelm and stress and can clear my mind for creativity to emerge.
So, I pulled out my phone and did a quick short video for you.
In the video, I mention about how the holidays are right around the corner. Now, since that recording, they are even closer.
Here in the US, we started with Halloween, already 2 weeks ago and now we’re getting ready for Thanksgiving on the 28th of November.
Of course, the Christmas holidays follow with the welcoming of the New Year shortly thereafter.
This can be a very fun and festive time and it can also be a very stressful and overwhelming time for so many people.
So, I have some questions for you.
- Are you someone who feels completely overwhelmed at this time of the year?
- Do you find yourself feeling irritated, exhausted and wondering where you can find the time to do the never ending list of things to do?
- Is weight gain during these next couple of months due to the many food festivities that abound everywhere, a big concern for you?
- And, lastly, are you feeling more like Mr. Scrooge, than the jolly ole man in the red suit?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you certainly are not alone.
Read the article below for some worthwhile tips to bring more joy to your holidays.
I’ll be addressing the weight gain concerns in another email. Stay tuned!
Warmly,
Jackie
P.S. If you find you’d like support in taking action to start walking or if you’re feeling the crazy-ness of the holidays creeping in, remember, you can reach out to me for a complimentary discovery session – let’s explore how hypnotherapy can work wonders for you, with whatever challenges you may be having!
Finding Joy During the (Stressful) Holiday Season
As the holiday season draws near, it’s all too easy to get swept up in the busyness—between the school plays, work obligations, Christmas parties, and endless gift shopping.
You might find yourself pushing harder and harder to “get it all done.” And before you know it, Christmas Day arrives, and you’re utterly exhausted, wondering where the joy went.
But it doesn’t have to be that way.
There are a few simple shifts that can make a world of difference, helping you stay connected to the true heart of the season.
If you’re ready to experience a little more joy—even during the busiest moments—read on for some tips that I hope will bring a little ease to your holiday season.
Stop and Smell the Poinsettias
It can be hard to notice the beautiful little details of the season when we’re constantly on the go.
So, this year, I invite you to challenge yourself: try to pause at least once each day to “smell the poinsettias,” a good metaphor for this time of the year, eh?! ?
Taking a mindful break, however small—a few minutes to enjoy a warm drink, such as a cup of herbal tea or even a moment to play your favorite carols and dance around the house, can give you space to feel connected to yourself, your surroundings and the things you like about the holidays.
If you’re out and about in the evening, why not take a detour to see the holiday lights around your neighborhood and give yourself some ooh and ahh momemts!
Taking just a few minutes of holiday cheer here and there really can bring more peace and joy into your day and allow you to stop all the chatter of your inner “boss” telling you how much you still need to do!
Get Your Own Little Elves
Santa doesn’t do all his Holiday tasks by himself-he has his elves!
And, you can take a page out of his book and stop feeling like you have to do everything solo!
Delegating is one of the most effective ways to ease your load and enjoy the season more fully.
At work, consider where you can share responsibilities—maybe an assistant could help with preparing reports or other tasks.
At home, get creative about where others can pitch in! Kids can help clean up after dinner, set the table, or even wrap a few presents for their siblings.
Delegating doesn’t just lighten your to-do list; it supports you in being more present for the things you truly enjoy at the holidays.
Why not have this holiday season be the perfect time to practice letting go of the need to do it all yourself?!!
Making a List (and Checking It Twice)
Finally, let’s talk about priorities.
Make a list of everything you think needs doing—then give it a second look with fresh eyes.
Are there tasks you can cross out entirely, traditions you can simplify, or items that don’t bring real value or joy to your holidays anymore?
Sometimes, we go through the motions of what we’ve “always done” without considering whether it’s still bringing us joy.
By choosing to focus on what truly matters, you’ll find it easier to release the rest, lightening both your to-do list and the weight of holiday stress.
This holiday season, I encourage you to reflect on what matters most for you this time of the year…and really lean in to the joyful spirit of the season.
With a little intention and these simple adjustments, you’ll find you can rediscover joy even in the midst of the holiday hustle.
Wishing you YOUR best holidays this season!
Warmly,
Jackie
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