Merry and Bright: Living with Intention During the Holidays
I was catching up on my emails this past weekend when I noticed I’d received one from the Chopra Center, a renowned hub for spiritual and holistic health led by the famous author and meditation advocate Deepak Chopra.
I’m a fan of Deepak’s message and the Center’s ethos, but this email made my stomach hurt. It was offering $500 off a retreat that cost…wait for it…five thousand dollars, marketed specifically for “post-holiday recovery.”
It wasn’t just the price tag that made me feel uneasy. What really got me was the fact that the holiday season continues to be a time where we allow our hard-learned self care practices to be hijacked to the point we’d want that type of expensive reset.
Does your holiday season sound something like this:
A jam-packed schedule of holiday parties and family gatherings?
A non-stop whirlwind of gift-giving, cooking, and hosting?
Holiday decorating to a level of exhaustion only rivaled by the fatigue you feel after dismantling everything a few weeks later?
Overeating and overdrinking as a way of being merry?
For some of us, that type of experience is exciting, fun and, above all, worth it.
Some of us, though, are looking for another way to move through the holidays. If you fall into this category, I have good news.
We are at the midpoint of December. There is still time to course correct.
We can create an experience that is in alignment with what we truly want, not what Hallmark movies brainwash us into thinking we need.
In my humble opinion, intentional living, the conscious pursuit of living in alignment with our core values and beliefs, is foundational to living well. So, how do we apply that to the holidays?
The first step is to ask yourself:
Is there a simpler, less overwhelming way to be during this time?
Who am I doing this for? Am I doing things because I want to or because I’m afraid of letting someone else down?
What matters most to me and my loved ones? What would be simple and beautiful? When I reflect back on the holidays, what memories and feelings would I like to take with me?
Sometimes even just processing your answers to these questions, through journaling or an awareness practice, can help illuminate pathways for greater alignment. I truly believe if you can envision it, you can build it.
Don’t get me wrong: I’m not discouraging fun and festivities. I am encouraging a more mindful approach. I urge you to create a holiday that you don’t need to recover from emotionally, physically, spiritually and financially.
My own journey has led me to intentionally simplify my schedule and create space for the family, friends, food and traditions that I really care about. I let the holidays be an experience of love, without all the hoopla or complications.
If you need one guiding thought, here is my suggestion: what would it feel like if, on January 1st, you felt renewed and recharged versus feeling like you just ran a marathon? How can you avoid needing a five thousand dollar retreat to get back to the place you were at before Christmas music flooded the airwaves?
Reverse engineer the holidays from there. It takes conscious choices every day to live well, and the holidays are no different.
Here are my go to resources/books that reinforce my desire to live intentionally:
My article on How to Become a Beast at Setting Boundaries
Daring Greatly by Brené Brown
The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz and Janet Mills
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey (this is the OG book for how to live with intention).
The Power of Intention by Wayne Dyer
If you need help in this process, don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m here to support you!