“It’s very important that we re-learn the art of resting and relaxing. Not only does it help prevent the onset of many illnesses that develop through chronic tension and worrying; it allows us to clear our minds, focus, and find creative solutions to problems. “
~Thich Nhat Hanh
During this busy holiday season we often become overcommitted with all our regular responsibilities and added holiday festivities leaving us tired, overwhelmed and exhausted.
How can we enjoy this joyful time of year and remain balanced, grounded and energized?
I believe the solution lies in finding opportunities to include rest in our days.
It is amazing how rejuvenating a rest can be! After even a short rest, we have the ability to see our situation from a fresh perspective and have the renewed energy and strength to take on any of the tasks ahead of us.
As a result, resting becomes an act of self-nurturing and provides the space to connect with ourselves in order to become refreshed and take love, compassion and kindness out into our lives.
So give yourself permission to include rest during this holiday season by trying the following:
- Schedule time for rest in your day. Even ten minutes of intentional rest will provide balance and energy to your day.
- Do not overbook your schedule. Allow for time between commitments, as well as unscheduled time to enjoy the moment, instead of being a prisoner to your to do list.
- Reclaim the value of rest and non-doing by taking time to watch the clouds, and/or the sun set, listen to uplifting music, call a friend or simply follow your breath moving in and out.
- Spend time each day pausing to acknowledge all you are grateful for and the blessings in your life.
When we intentionally pause and rejuvenate during the holidays, we find it much easier to connect to the joy of the season and to maintain balance and peace of mind.
May you find joy and maintain balance this holiday season and may you nurture peace in the world from the inside out!
Sending you so much peace, love and gratitude,
Kelley Grimes, M.S.W.
Counselor, Author & Speaker
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Great reminder, Kelley – I have to work at dialing down all year long, and the holidays can certainly escalate that. For the past couple of years, I’ve made a conscious effort to enjoy the simple things about the season, and to be fully present for the special moments. 🙂
I love the idea of enjoying the simple things and bringing mindfulness and presence to the holiday season Katt. Thank you so much for your comment and happy holidays!
Thank you for the lovely reminder Kelley. Rest & not over-booking are the most important things for me to remember. Happy Holidays!
I love that you found my blog supportive Tae Lynne! Thank you so much for your comment. May we all continue to remind ourselves to nurture ourselves throughout the holidays and into the New Year! Take good care!
Yeppers, we’re on the same page, Kelley as I shared the same with the moon in my blog post today, “Reclaim the value of rest and non-doing by taking time to watch the clouds, and/or the sunset, listen to uplifting music, call a friend or simply follow your breath moving in and out.” Nature gives us all we ever need to rest…if we would just sit on Mother Nature’s lap…and breathe…and pause… Merry Christmas to you and yours! xoxo Lore
I love your quote that if we would just sit on Mother Nature’s lap and breathe and pause…I could not agree with you more and believe it is truly a blessing to connect deeply with the Earth and ourselves and give ourselves permission to pause. I love that we are on the same page Lore and am deeply grateful for your comment. May you have a beautiful holiday season filled with joy!
PS LOVE, LOVE the collage, eclectic banner for this blog post. Did you make or find?
The image for this blog is the lid of one of my intention boxes. I transform cigar boxes into intention boxes with a set of 60 intention words and gemstone. The idea is that you drop the words into the velvet in the box, pick a word regularly and this becomes a regular part of your self-nurturing. The intention words are sometimes an affirmation or may be a nudge, but always illuminate your wisdom and insight. I sell them individually or they are part of my self-nurturing packages. Thank you so much for your kind words! I love making them!
I give myself the gift of meditation every single day, first thing in the morning. In the afternoon, especially around sunset, I give myself the gift of sitting in front of the window and watching the sunset, seeing the sun dip behind the hill, and the birds hurrying home to their nests. Both are priceless and both are necessary!
I love that you give yourself the gift of meditation every single day Barb and nurture yourself by watching the sunset! We are so aligned and I find joy and balance every day by embracing these priceless gifts. Thank you so much for your comment! Happy holidays!