FINDING JOY IN THE LITTLE THINGS THIS YEAR
HOLIDAY SURVIVAL Mind and Body!
FINDING JOY IN THE LITTLE THINGS!
No matter who you are or your whatever your reasoning might be, finding joy in the holidays is possible this year, and can renew you going into the new year. There’s always so much to do, that many times we fail to find ourselves truly living in the joy of the season or in any joy at all.
The holidays always seem to bring about a certain melancholy and nostalgia. You can feel emotional exhausted and exhilarated at the same time. Especially in 2020 when things are very different and family and friends are not within hugging distance.
Here are a few ways to find joyful things right there in front of you!
This year DON’T Unplug!
There are so many reasons to unplug from technology during the holidays. First, remember that most people typically share the highlights of their day. So when you have the opportunity to sit down at a Thanksgiving feast or Enjoy Christmas as a family, they would usually put the phones away. STOP right there…
WELL, this year you will need your phone, tablet, laptop or however else you can have a fun distancing get together with everyone you love.
THEN… enjoy the moment.
You have this opportunity to see everyone! Their faces, their laughter, smiles and tears without stopping to take a picture of everything, and post or print out 30 pictures of someone unwrapping a gift where all you see is the wrapping paper and they don’t know what’s inside yet – what are you finally NOT missing out on by just watching their faces!?
Take time to cherish the moment and create a REAL memory. Those are even more cherished than a photograph. ❤️❤️ Do a screenshot instead of everyone waving and smiling and holding up their favorite food or gift.
Think about the stories your grandparents tell every year, or used to tell you a hundred times growing up at the holidays, and how vivid those memories are. This year you are creating real memories that will stand the test of time in this unprecedented year. You can tell the stories of this year for decades!
Watch some holiday movies to find all the “feels”!! You should see me with my box of tissues watching Lifetime and Hallmark Christmas movies!
Being Joyful doesn’t have to mean being happy in every circumstance
It is SO very possible to find joy; that deep emotion that stirs inside of your heart and soul, even when you outwardly are not at your happiest. REMEMBER, that’s OK!! You can still revel in the moments that you will never forget and you can focus on the things that are going well.
The hardest days are sometimes the best reminders of what we have. Our focus should also be on what we have rather than dwelling on the negative always.
Remember that you do not have to be perfect nor does the occasion
The best stories are the ones where things were never perfect. Maybe the turkey caught fire. Maybe the cat destroyed the tree ornaments, maybe the dog did his thing at the base of the tree. Maybe you ran out of wrapping paper and had to use newspaper or paper bags. Or remembering that no one brought a Jello mold that was a messy meltdown this year. There is truly no perfection in those moments, but the memories and the stories are what make them joyous, and they always will be remembered.
There can be so much anxiety in trying to make everything “just right” when it’s completely unnecessary and no one will notice or even care. We all live imperfect lives and our joy is not derived from a perfect-looking pie, but in reality, from that moment when the ugly pie gets the “best tasting” seal of approval.
Get Moving & Limit Unhealthy Food
And speaking of pie…not only are we likely to put on weight from our holiday food choices, but, in fact, consuming too much sugar and processed food negatively affects our mood and energy. There is a chemical reaction in our brains and bodies that can actually trigger depression and depression-like symptoms when we are not being good to our bodies. So enjoy the fun foods in small portions and eat sensibly during the holidays and drink extra water because you will feel better, definitely be more joyful if you do!
Communicate Expectations
Sometimes joy can be lost during the holidays because expectations are not communicated between spouses, between families, or shared at all, especially this year.
Maybe it’s something like giving and receiving gifts. Instead of being thankful and joyful for time spent together online this year, you might wind up dwelling on feeling like you are missing out on the real life hugs or that someone doesn’t know you at all because of the gift they sent to you.
Maybe you are feeling inadequate because you can’t and didn’t spend as much on someone as they did on you. Believe me, no one can afford to do that this year and that isn’t what the holidays are about anyway.
And maybe the expectation should be that no one should expect to worry about buying and sending gifts. It really is a silly expectation and can zap the joy from the season if taken too seriously.
Surround Yourself with Happy People
My favorite tip to be happy is to surround yourself with happy people, even online. It seems so simple. But if the people you are around are negative, annoy you, are frustrating, and don’t lift you up or encourage you, then you honestly don’t have to be around them. This goes for family members as well.
It’s about your well-being. You don’t have to make excuses either. The best way to find joy in the holidays or any day is to find positive and happy people to surround yourself with and to reject any negativity that might come your way. Seeing those happy faces on a Zoom family call can be the next best thing to actually being together in 2020.
Share Stories
Find joy in sharing stories with your children, with other family members, in taking time to remember times together, and overall in focusing on the good. There is joy to be found in remembering such beautiful and good times.
Always Focus on What’s Good
We often feel like we have to be strong to endure everything that’s “on our plate”, and we persevere when we really just want to crumble. It’s sometimes scary to soften our hearts for a moment, to see beyond the struggle, and to be thankful…but that is where the good stuff lies.
It’s so true. It can be really hard when we are juggling a full plate of life and all it throws at us. But in the end, we have beautiful families, we can marvel at the beauty on this Earth, and that we are alive to experience both the good AND the bad. Because, ultimately, this is life and this is how we learn and grow.
I’m so grateful and thankful that you read this and got a glimmer of something good from it. And if you need help, I am only a call away!
I have a special discount offer for a package of 3 Sessions plus a free consultation. All you have to do is relax, contact me and use this gift for you or someone you love. Click on the link below for $100 off through December 31st!
