Calm Holidays: Tip #2
Today’s Tip: Take a minute to understand what IS working. Have gratitude for that, and investigate why it’s working.
Your brain (all brains, not just yours) has a tendency to send you messages like “The holidays are overwhelming. You’re already behind. You’re doing everything wrong. You probably can’t catch up now.” That thought sends a red alert to the body, signaling that you’re in actual danger. You react by feeling overwhelmed, stressed and can’t think clearly.
It’s like you’re sitting on a sled at the top of a steep, ice covered snow hill. Just a tiny push will send you flying down. You’ll keep gaining speed until you crash at the bottom, hopefully not into a tree. That’s what our brain does. It gives us that little shove by telling us what we’re already behind. Before we know it, we’re cruising down the dangerous hill, closing our eyes and waiting to crash.
The great news is, you can notice that our brain sends you that message, and let it go. You don’t have to believe it. You can show your brain evidence that the thought isn’t even true.
Today we are going to redirect your brain from what’s NOT working to what IS working. Stand up from that sled. You’re not going down the hill today. Walk next door to a cozy coffee shop. Order yourself a latte. And then answer these questions.
When you think about your holiday season, what already works?
Resist the urge to say “nothing works” - just redirect your brain and ponder what works.
For example, I love to get together with my family for a good meal and games. I also feel good about the amount of time I spend on thinking of, buying and wrapping gifts for my kids. My favorite nights are the ones where we watch a movie with the Christmas tree lights on. The way we decorate our house with bright Christmas colors makes me happy, too.
2. What is common among the things that are working? Is there something to be learned there?
In my example, common themes are being together and present with loved ones, being intentional, and being creative. What I can learn from that is, for me, being intentional and focusing on being present will always feel good. I also love having a creative outlet in decorating and wrapping things.
Did you miss a prior tip? You can see all of the holiday tips here.