Balancing time during the holidays was once no easy task for this business owner.
Holiday parties, end of the year checklists and an array of friends and family were knocking at my door. Everyone wanted my attention.
Not to mention all the ghosts from holidays past.
Being highly sensitive and an introvert, I would get so overwhelmed that I closed my doors, put my head down and only focused on one thing for the remainder of the year.
I would lose out on everything else and not be consciously present for much.
Usually this brought me regret, frustration and confusion. Not balanced, to say the least.
So I started in small ways figuring out how to become more balanced and, most importantly, feeling peaceful and joyful during the holiday season.
I started forgiving myself in advance.
I knew the holiday season was not going to be perfect. The weather would slow or even close business down. Deadlines would not always be met, and usually I would experience at least one person’s emotional breakdown a week. I couldn’t control any of those things, nor would I handle any of them perfectly.
So each day I would repeat the affirmation, "I find joy and peace, not perfection."
If ever I felt overwhelmed by a holiday demand, I would repeat this affirmation as well.
As many times as I needed it, I would said it. No limits, no specific times of the day. And no matter if I sounded like an idiot or not, I said it in public too. "I find joy and peace, not perfection"
I found this happening automatically and then I began to say NO more and more.
I said no to holiday gatherings and limited myself to one business and one family gathering during the season.
I said no to the endless running around shopping and simply tithed all year long.
I said no gracefully when someone wanted to work on a new project for the next year.
Saying NO was amazing, and I did not have the regret, frustration and confusion anymore.
This led me to an incredible thankful state of mind.
To continue being balanced, I started to acknowledge out loud all my blessings and give thanks.
Since everyone during the holiday season could use some extra TLC, I found this beneficial to everyone.
Acknowledging your blessings out loud creates a more positive surrounding and a natural flow for more blessings.
For me, it became a spiritual practice throughout the year.
Cards and anonymous notes work great, but a simple thank you works fine.
No matter how you decide to acknowledge your blessings, taking action on acknowledging them is essential. It is also better than any gift you can find at the designer stores.
With the holiday season starting earlier and earlier (thanks to social media and marketing outlets), I hope you find these tips as helpful as I did.
These small changes can create big results and you will find yourself joyful and balanced when the holidays come around again.
Start now forgiving, say no and giving thanks.
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