By Colleen Worley, LCPC
We have all seen it: holiday decorations and ads slowly encroaching on us before we have even bothered to put our warm weather clothes in storage for the year. As we prepare for an onslaught of another holiday season, it is essential that we take the time to step back from the sales, put down the fancy decorations, and hold off on sealing the envelope on the family card. Instead, focus your efforts on ways in which you can be present in the season and find enjoyment in the process rather than dread at the cost, time, and emotional exhaustion it typically has taken in the past to get through the next couple of months.
The concept of mindfulness can be defined in many ways, but all have the same message: Focus one’s attention on the thoughts, feelings, and moments happening in the here and now. Consider if you were able to just focus on different moments throughout this holiday season, what might happen? Would you be disappointed in what you were seeing, or would you perhaps see more joy and more gratitude. Could there be moments in the past that you have missed because you were caught up in the whirlwind of the season? Mindfulness helps you to stop in the moment, take in all of the sensations of yourself and the things going on around you, and to be part of the process instead of a bystander.
Mindfulness is often difficult to practice, particularly in the fast paced society that we live in these days. Some tips that might help you to increase your mindfulness this holiday season are:
- Stop, take a deep breath, and just listen. Don’t judge, don’t question, and don’t interrupt. Allow yourself to exist, for even a moment. Like the way that feels? Give it a few more minutes if you can. Consider the things that you hear when you take a moment to just be.
- Worry less about the presents that you are purchasing, and more about your ability to be present in the lives of the people that you care about. If you can’t be home for the holiday because you had to pick up an extra shift to pay for the gifts you purchased, you are likely not able to be mindful in that moment. Instead, think of ways in which you can spend quality time with others.
- Check in with how you are feeling. Do you typically eat healthy, but have decided to throw caution to the wind and do the holidays right by tasting everything on the buffet? Your body and your mind are not going to appreciate this lack of mindfulness in the days to come. Instead, take moments to listen to your body. Seek to recognize the feeling of being satiated instead of stuffed. Take pleasure in movement and time spent in healthy activities.
- Put down the cameras, electronics, and phones. Give your attention to one moment. Spend time with the person or people you are with. In these moments, when you are able to be mindful, you will find less need to capture the moment through film or post a status update to Facebook or Twitter.
- Use mindfulness to find balance. The holidays are notorious for leaving many people feeling exhausted, isolated, and disappointed. Instead, use your new understanding of being in the moment to consider your needs as well as the needs of those close to you. Mindfulness helps you to determine what course you need to provide yourself joy and this in turn allows you to spend more time being joyful with others.
The goal of mindfulness is to help you to stop, breathe, and be in the moment. While difficult to do on a daily basis, it becomes even more difficult to do when life becomes hectic and chaotic. Begin practicing your mindfulness now so you can be a pro at it when the whole family is en route to your house for dinner.
If you would like some help at practicing mindfulness and sorting through some of the chaos in your life, feel free to contact True North Solutions at 309-589-8900 for an appointment or visit www.truenorthsolutions.org. Colleen Worley is a licensed clinical professional counselor who specializes in working with adolescents and adults struggling with depression, anxiety, addiction, and other mental health issues.
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