Slowing Down for a Peaceful Holiday Season

It’s November. Inwardly, I cringe and shrink back a little bit. There is SO MUCH going on over the next 60 days. Holidays, family gatherings, parties, concerts…How will I fit it all in? How will I manage to maintain my sanity? How will I keep myself from pushing too hard and coming down sick? 

Really, all I want to do right now is hunker down in my house, making soup, drinking tea, reading, and quietly mapping out my plans for next year. I know this isn’t the reality of my life, but sometimes I wish it was.

How will I fit it all in? How can I possibly keep all the plates spinning? How can I make it to the end of the year without unravelling?

The answer is that I won’t, and I don’t have to. I don’t have to do it all. I don’t have to fit it all in. I don’t have to keep all the plates spinning. I don’t have to hold it all together. 

I can choose. I can say NO. I can set boundaries and guard my energy. I can feed my heart and soul and mind with intention. I can set aside as much time as I need to in order to take care of myself. I can let some things drop, and scale other things back. 

The truth is, I don’t have to allow all the busyness to crush me. I don’t have to partake in the break-neck race until the end of the year. I can show up differently, taking time to meditate on the Truth, to breathe, to accept the Grace offered to me each day, to rest as needed, and I can encourage those around me to do the same.

There is a blessing that I often share at the end of my breathwork sessions, and it is something I need constantly, especially this time of year. This is my heart’s desire for myself, for my family and friends, for my clients, for anyone reading this post:

As you journey to the end of this year,

May your pace be slow and unhurried.

May you ever be aware of the Presence of Divine Love, with YOU,

Every moment of every day.

May you be filled with Grace sufficient to meet every need, 

Every task, every situation you encounter.

May your heart be gentle and kind,

Showing compassion to yourself and all whom you meet.

May you taste and see the goodness of God

And be filled with gratitude and joy.

May your heart, mind, and spirit be filled

With a Peace that surpasses all understanding.

                                                                AMEN