Dec 17, 2020
I have to be honest with you, I’m effin drained!
And it always happened at this exact time of year, every year. Between December 10th to 22nd, like clockwork.
I work a demanding fulltime corporate job, and have a family, and side businesses. Like most of you, it’s my desire every holiday season, to slow down and really get to enjoy it with my family, but like every year, I end up feeling overwhelmed, panic-stricken, and puzzled as to where the time went!
So here we are, it’s December 17th, in the midst of a global pandemic, and I’m in the same predicament.
I totally get that 2020 has been probably the worst year of most of our lifetimes, so feeling holly & jolly might not be so easy. And considering most of my city is still in lock-down with more restrictions than a fresh pair of Spanx; the mistletoe and Rockin around a Christmas tree with friends is out of the equation.
But despite this, I’m still on a mission of evolution, and it’s a fact that if you want to change your life, you must change your routines & reactions.
So, I’m going to start a new tradition this year, right now, all about slowing the eff down and enjoying the moments this season. We can call it the Santa Slow-Down!
There are 8 days left to Christmas, so here is a quick 8 ideas to help you do the same.
- I’m calling this one: Unplug & Cuddle. Put down your phone, your tablet, your video games, and just cuddle up with a loved one, a pet, or just a cozy blanket & book. Have a tea or hot chocolate, and just be in the moment. You don’t need an agenda or objective, or even a topic to talk about. Just simply unplug, and BE.
- Use that vacation time! Use that time off that you’ve earned, the flex time, or “sick day”, whatever it is, just use it!Something I was notoriously guilty of was saving my vacation days to carry-over to the next year, “just in case”. I did this every year for 10 years! This is madness! Use your damn vacation time!
- Nothing gets me in the holiday vibes like watching classic Christmas movies, and the Christmas episodes of our favourite TV shows. You may not be able to fit in a full movie every evening, but I bet you could find 30mins to stream the Christmas episodes of your favourite sitcoms.
- Decorate your space. Seeing is Believing, and being in a space that is decorated for the season will help keep you in the zone. Pro Tip: Throw on those Christmas tunes while your at it.
- Baking! You don’t have to be a Martha Stewart, or even a contestant on “Nailed It”. There are thousands of easy and no-bake holiday recipes on Pinterest. Baking gets me in the holiday mood for sure.
- Send a holiday e-card. No worries about making it to the post office in time, you can make a holiday email, include some pictures or holiday memes, share your favourite memory of this year, or from a Christmas past, and hit SEND. It’s free, and the best part is making others feel remembered and appreciated.Bonus points for those throwing a virtual ugly sweater Zoom party.
- Go for a walk or drive around the neighbourhood to look at the lights and decorations. This was always my favourite thing to do as a child, and even now with my son.
- Stay in a state of Gratitude, ALWAYS. Winter is a historically depressing time, without the pandemic, social restrictions, facemasks, isolation, the news, businesses closing, and people losing their jobs. This creates a mindset of scarcity and lack at a catastrophic rate. It’s easy to fall into that panic and low-vibration. Start & end every day remembering what you are grateful for in that moment, big or small. If you’re having a horrible time and can’t think of anything, just the fact that you made it through 2020 is a blessing.
Now, after you read this pick small festive things you can do each day to keep you feeling merry & bright, and start a new tradition.
Air Hugs,
J.