As the Christmas season is well and truly upon us, I wanted to touch base with you all to help you fully utilize the energy, and the opportunities that present themselves.
How people experience Christmas varies greatly. As much as we wish it brought “peace, joy and goodwill to all men”, for many it is a time of stress, anxiety, loneliness, grief and even fear.
Christmas is a time when families gather together, and it is quite common for family dysfunctions to rear their ugly heads. It is also a time that reminds us of lost and absent family members. We also have the pressure to perform, to feel “good enough”, to produce the perfect meal, to be the perfect hostess, to buy the right presents. Ultimately all this energy piles up to become a collective energy that can be quite challenging.
So I have compiled some advice that I’d like to share with you, so you can make the most of Christmas this year:
Simplicity
The KISS principal. You are really the only one that knows how complicated your arrangements are and how much trouble you went to. So, if it’s not fun…..DON’T DO IT!! Oh, and stop worrying about making everything perfect. We’re humans and our imperfections highlight our humanity; so take joy in the unplanned imperfections that arise in your plans. Let life take you by surprise, and embrace the Christmas spirit.
Planning
It can be quite helpful to plan ahead, set a budget and stick to it. We live in a society plagued with consumerism, and everything from TV commercials to the news, attempts to make us feel inadequate about how much we spend. Don’t break under the pressure and don’t compete with others. Plan regarding how much you are going to spend and stick to it.
Be considerate
For some people, Christmas season has become a time to show off and they buy expensive gifts to impress others and belittle them. Instead of buying costly presents, try giving meaningful gifts to your family and loved ones. Presents that hold emotional value are treasured more as compared to the costly ones. You can even buy or make something for them to lift their spirits and make them happy.
Focus
Try to engage in some self reflection. Most people think New Year is the time for self reflection but I believe Christmas is the time to initiate change that you want in 2015. There is great energetic support for liberating yourself from old dysfunctional patterns and inculcating into your life what really matters to you. You may like to meditate and allow this to come to you whether it is a word, a picture or a feeling. Look for signs that will show you what this focus is for you this Christmas. Then, when negative situations arise as they often do around Christmas, let go of it and bring yourself back to your focus i.e. what really matters!
Gratitude
Make a point of giving gratitude for every little thing. If you like, keep a gratitude book. This will keep your vibration up and therefore your perspective will be more positive. Remember, whether or not things go “wrong” is completely a matter of the individual’s perspective. Perhaps it is actually happening to make things “right”?
Giving
Add to your focus the mentality of giving. Only in giving will you truly receive what matters. And I don’t mean giving expensive presents. Give your time, your patience, your heart, and your smile. It’s all free and yet, incredibly rewarding.
Choose your company
It’s important to surround yourself with the right type of people if you want your Christmas to be a positive experience, so avoid people who love drama and conflicts. Even if the circumstances are such that a dramatic situation is unavoidable, distance yourself from the drama as much as possible, so you don’t get drawn into it.
I truly wish for every one of you; a Christmas season full of growth that fills your hearts with much joy.
Wishing you a safe, healthy and peaceful Christmas.
Ann