Holiday-ize Your Energy

Here are a few steps you can take to stay centered, balanced and present as possible during the end-of-year chaos, intensity and family pressures.

Feel it all. During the holidays, it can be tempting to hide or suppress our heavy or just BIG feelings for the imagined benefit of those around us. This is the most important time, however, to be your full and authentic self. Feeling even your lowest and most difficult feelings fully is actually extremely high vibrational. Feel and honor within yourself all that you need to feel, whatever it is, without judgement. Remember, there’s no rule that says emotions have to make sense to the mind.

But keep thoughts helpful. Resisting the urge to indulge unhelpful, stress-fueled thinking is not the same as suppressing emotions you are being invited to feel. Often, refusing to indulge in lower-vibration mind patterns gets confused with pushing away uncomfortable or painful feelings. Make sure the “story” you are telling yourself mentally, as well as what you are saying out loud to others, is as loving, truthful to the moment, and positive as possible.

Have a plan for triggers. ’Tis the season for emotional triggers. When you’re unintentionally (or intentionally) poked into feelings of sadness, anger, frustration, confusion, guilt, or anything else that feels difficult this season, it’s important to go into and underneath the emotion instead of trying to go above or around it. Avoiding emotions will only invite them into your life in a bigger way down the road, so explore (and share, when, how and with whom it feels right to) what the feeling is showing you that needs to be seen for your benefit. If there’s not the time, space or appropriate people available in the moment to share what you are feeling, write it down and assure yourself you will give yourself/find the support you need to feel it.

Know your loving limits. Sometimes we just have to relunctantly implement that old go-to, the Serenity Prayer, focusing in on what we have the power to change and releasing what we don’t. Each of our loved ones is an individual being with free will, no matter how deep and intertwined our roots are. If you find yourself feeling frustrated or struggly in any way with someone else’s choices and behaviors, ask yourself, “What is this showing me FOR me?” That is a quick way to hop back into your personal boundaries and power. Remember that the best way to influence the behavior and choices of another (if it can be done) is through embodiment (being an example).

Take along your own energy support toolkit. Put together a bundle that includes anything that helps you focus within quickly (examples: a book, a list of your personal alignment reminders and affirmations, your journal, a clearing, centering scent, a soothing sensory item, a guided meditation recording). Take a few minutes for sanity breaks and support yourself with a few minutes just for you. The guest powder room can be a magical meditation spot in a pinch!