5 tips to keep you Mindful throughout the holiday season.
Imagine sitting by the fireplace while sipping hot cocoa snuggled close to your loved ones with Christmas music silently playing in the background. Everyone is happy, calm and perfect, life could not be better…
Now imagine you’re at home trying to finish your work that you took home from work, your kids are sick, one has cold, another has a slight fever, and your youngest is crying in the background and your spouse is yelling across the house about some amazon package that can’t be found but you can’t hear because the tv is blaring, the kids are now screaming and both your cell phones are ringing. It’s the day before Christmas and everything seems to be in chaos spiraling out of control…
Ladies and gentlemen, this is a common scenario that plays out like a horror story every holiday without fail…call it bad luck, call it a bad cycle, heck call it the Devil. But this holiday here are
5 tips to keep you Mindful throughout the holiday season.
Tip 1: Stay Thankful
In a world of Christmas lists, clearance sales, online promotions, and easy 1- click purchasing, it’s easy to forget the “why” we purchase behind the “what” we purchase. This season be mindful of all the non-material things such as your family, your relationships, and even your health. You’ve heard the cliché statement, “Some of the best things in life are free” and this is still so true. After all, how we could we fully enjoy such a festive time of the year without being alive well and healthy around the people we care about the most.
Tip 2: Stay Social
Ok, stay with me on this one. For many of you this year, you may be traveling to both sides of the family and as a result having a lot of conversations with relatives you may not particularly want to have conversations with.
Ultimately, you brace yourself for that loud uncle, that nosey aunt, that obnoxious guest and weird relative. However, this year take a mindful moment before the party and let your partner for life know that you do this every year just for them, because of how much you love them and accept all that comes along including their family.
Tip 3: Play in the Snow
Trust me I would prefer a sunny beach over a winter wonderland any day. However, I live where there are 4 seasons, so I’ll make the best of it. More importantly, take time to make moments in the snow this holiday. It may not occur to you know because of the busyness of life, but your little ones will have fond memories of building snowmen with you or even just rolling around or making snow angels in the snow.
Or maybe even just start of a snowball fight with your significant other or take a nice walk in the snow path. Many times, in life, we get caught up getting ready for the next indoor event, when sometimes what we really need is some fun outdoors, so go ahead and play in the snow.
Tip 4: Stop the Cycle
This is a more personal note for myself but perhaps others may gain (or lose) from this depending how you eat. It seems like every year one of my resolutions is to lose weight from all the food I eat that tends to carry over from the holidays starting as early as Thanksgiving.
Now I’m not a hardcore fitness fanatic but I definitely am trying to be more mindful of my eating and overall health. This year take small steps, or even better smaller servings of food at this year’s holiday parties. Make healthy choices and you will thank me next year.
Tip 5 Compassionate Caring
This holiday season keep in mind that although your wheels may be spinning with all the things you have to do, your elderly neighbor who lives by herself may be experiencing some serious loneliness around this time of the year. Take time out to offer a hand, lend an ear, or leave a friendly gift on someone’s doorstep who needs it.
Know also, that many problems we deal with are really “first world” problems and there are many throughout the world who need your help. Perhaps this year, donate to a favorite cause or charity or simply help someone you know. Extend your compassionate caring to someone who needs it this year, for it is better to give than receive.
is the founder of Mindful Fountain, a group dedicated to those who practice mindfulness in all walks of life. With well over a decade of experience in the health care industry, he shares his knowledge to empower others, especially the youth, who live in an era of over-medication and technology over-stimulation. As a loving husband and father of 3 children, he hopes to spread his message of mindfulness across the world.
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