Stress Free Holidays - Journal Exercise

As we near the winter solstice there is a strong yearning to go inward. The colder weather draws our bodies indoors and also draws our attention inside as well. According to Kiran, author and spiritual teacher:

The secret to the rain, that people from rain forests all know, and is why they just love the rain, is that you need to be introspective without being melancholy.

Fall and winter are the perfect times to to be more introspective. I highly recommend journaling for this purpose. Journaling can be used to process and reflect on all the experiences of the last year, to remind ourselves all the things we have to be grateful for, and to write down the simple desires of the heart.

As we enter into the holiday season it can be a special and magical time of the year, and it can also be a time of heightened stress and emotions. I have a journaling exercise I wanted to share for a stress free holidays called, What Matters Most to Me is . . .

In your journal, dedicate a few pages to this stress free holiday exercise. Title the page, What Matters Most to Me This Holiday Season is . . . Then, start writing a list of what really matters most to you during the holidays. Make it heartfelt, yet concise. Try to stick to only the core things that are important to you.

This is an example of what my personal list would look like:

What Matters Most to Me This Holiday Season Is . . .

• That my husband knows he is loved and appreciated
• That my family and friends know they are loved and appreciated
• That my family feels relaxed when staying at my house
• That there is a lot of love felt in my house
• Being present with all my guests and enjoying their company during the festivities
• Continuing to deepen my connection with the Divine and especially Christ
• Being able to do something for the less fortunate

Once you have a list, for each goal I want you to write a few action steps that you can take. There are some goals that will not require any action and that is okay. For the things that require action, I want you to think of the simplest action steps you could take to achieve your goal. I also want you to make sure that your action steps are also things that you enjoy doing.

If there is something that you do not enjoy doing, try brainstorming a way that you could accomplish the same task in a different way that you might enjoy more. In the end, it comes down to putting your energy and attention on what really matters and not stressing about the superficial.

Some examples of my action steps are:

Goal:
What matters most to me this holiday season is that I be present with all my guests and enjoy their company during the festivities.

I will achieve this by:

• Make detailed shopping lists and prepping food at least a day in advance, so the day of, I can have more time enjoying my guests.
• Delegating and asking for plenty of help when preparing food so that I am not alone in the kitchen and away from my guests for too long.
• Keeping up with my spiritual practices of praying and meditating this month so that I radiate presence and love.
• Making sure I get enough sleep so that I can feel balanced and energized when around my guests. . .
  (etc.)

You get the idea!

It’s okay if your list looks very different than mine, we all have different lives, wants, and needs. The most important thing is that you focus on what matters most to you personally and that you let it be your guide to a meaningful and stress free holidays

From my heart to yours.

Happy Holidays!

Give Yourself the Gift of Meditation This Holiday Season

If you want to reduce your stress levels during the busy holiday season, I highly recommend my guided meditation mp3s for sale here: www.circleforselfhealing.com/meditations/

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About Cecilia
Cecilia is a gifted and compassionate intuitive healer and meditation teacher who is passionately dedicated to helping sensitive and intuitive people tap into their soul power to live strong, balanced, and purposeful lives. Learn more about Cecilia and schedule an intuitive healing session.