A MINDFUL HOLIDAY
BY: ALICIA DIORIO, LCSW
The holiday season is quickly approaching, and although it is supposed to be a time of joy, cheerfulness and optimistic expectations for the upcoming year, the holiday season can also bring about some unwelcome guests including stress and depression.
Holidays tend to be filled with parties, shopping, family gatherings and long to-do lists. However, for many people it can also become a time of self-evaluation, loneliness, reflection on past disappointments and uncertainty connected to the future. By allowing our minds to shift focus, we often lose connection with the present moment. One way of slowing down the intensity during this time of year is by integrating Mindfulness into your daily routine.
Practicing Mindfulness:
Practicing Mindfulness, especially during the holidays, may assist in reducing the intensity of negative feelings that may arise. Mindfulness is described, by Jon Kabat-Zinn PhD as “paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally”. By doing this, one can begin to cultivate attention and awareness to the present moment and current situations, rather than reacting to intense emotions, fears and irrational thinking which we so often believe to be true. By gaining insight and awareness we can begin to make different choices for ourselves.
Here are some tips for implementing Mindfulness during the holiday season as well as in daily life:
– Accept the fact that the holidays can bring about stress.
– Acknowledge your feelings:
Holidays can trigger various emotions for a person for any number of reasons. Especially for one has experienced a previous trauma or loss. It is healthy to acknowledge your feelings and express them. Feelings don’t disappear just because it’s a holiday.
– Develop Awareness and positive self-care:
By paying attention to your thoughts, feelings, and senses you can use that information in a constructive manner to make healthier decisions for yourself.
– Develop Compassion:
Focus on others in addition to yourself. Keep in mind that many people struggle with similar stressors this time of year. You are not the only one who may be experiencing a difficult time this season. Developing compassion for self and others can go a long way in helping you enjoy the holidays as well as your life.
– Cultivate Gratitude:
No matter what is happening in our lives, we can always find something to be grateful for. Discovering things you are grateful for, in the present moment, is a wonderful way of shifting your attention and focus in a positive direction.
By setting aside 15 minutes every day, free from distractions and the chaos of daily life, you can allow the space needed to re-connect with yourself and experience the meaningful moments that often passes by.
By: Alicia Diorio, LCSW