How to find a bit of peace during the Holiday season
It's the most wonderful time of the year....
But is it? Seems like the time of year while we're celebrating glad tidings, generosity, gift giving and Hope restored through the birth of Jesus, it has instead become a busy time of expectations and commitments.
Is it too late to reclaim some of the peace that we sing about in our Christmas carols? I like to think we can always achieve more peace in our hearts even in a busy season.
Here are some ways I like to find some peace...
Quiet the commute. Any time I am driving by myself I turn off my music, podcasts, and the group voice chats with friends. If only for a set time (fifteen minutes vs the whole ride) I give my brain a break and gift myself some silence. It's become one of my favorite things.
Craft. I have found that working with my hands helps me to take a deep breath. If you're wondering how in the heck I find time to craft I also set a timer for this. Seems like fifteen minutes is the magic number but I keep some crocheting, embroidery, or wreath making on hand to work on throughout the days.
Say no. I'm serious. You don't need to attend all the things and show up for all the things if you are feeling frazzled and exhausted. Listen to your body and if it's telling you it's tired, sick, or presenting itself through bitterness & anger perhaps it's time to say no to something.
Linger. Before getting up from your morning cup of coffee, exiting the car to go into work, or leaving your bedroom after getting dressed pause, linger where you are, and notice one thing about your surroundings. Is the sunlight shining through your windows? Is there frost on the rooftops? How does your body feel? What are you grateful for? Find 30 seconds to ground yourself in the moment before rushing into the next. Put post it notes on the mirror, dashboard, door to remind yourself to linger.
Set an alarm. Borrowed from the Benedictine Monks who have bells that toll throughout the day calling them to pause & pray, I have three alarms on my watch that go off at different times. When the alarm sounds, I try to pause say a "breath prayer" before continuing with my day. Some days I am able to do more than pause but at the very least, as I move to turn off the buzzing on my watch (on a phone works too) I bring my focus to the present moment and pause. This helps me to refocus and take a deep breath.
Benedictine Monks have bells that sound interrupting them throughout their day, calling them stop what they're doing and pray which serves as a reminder that time is not their own but belongs to God.
Remembering that our time is short and we only have the present moment is a good way to invite more peace into our lives.
How about you? Are you finding peace during this time?
Comment below how you practice peace when life gets busy.