Raise your hand if you thought the world would be feeling a little less heavy by now. It wasn’t just me, was it?
As 2021 winds down to a close, so many are wishing for a joyful and peaceful holiday season. Here are a few ways to ensure “your troubles will be miles away.”
Turn Down the Technology
The constant notifications, the unending influx of information and imagery—it’s a deluge that seems never-ending when we’re always connected to our digital devices. As much as you can, set those devices aside. Put them away in a drawer or closet, and turn your attention to the real world right in front of you.Scale Back Your Plans
It can be tempting to want to do all the holiday things, but if you overextend yourself, peace will be difficult to come by. Cut back just a little on the number of presents you plan to buy, the amount of cooking and baking you plan to do, and how many holiday gatherings you plan to attend. Scaling back forces you to choose your priorities, and you’ll be left devoting your time and energy to that which you truly value.Turn Off the News
If you tend to have news channels running on your television all day, take a break from them over the holidays. Put on some music, read a book or two, or enjoy uplifting holiday movies instead. You don’t need to be kept up to date 24/7. The strategy employed by many networks is to emotionally agitate their viewers. Let that influence exit your home for a while and see if you don’t begin to feel more at ease.Uphold Traditions
Holiday time, like no other, calls on us to uphold our family traditions. Whatever activities, songs, foods, or decorations make this time of year so special for your family, uphold them all this year. Tell your children or grandchildren stories of holidays past. Enjoy looking through old family photos together. Allow nostalgia and tradition to warm your heart and bring you a sense of peace.Treasure the Simple Things
This holiday season, slow down and allow yourself to recognize the beauty in life’s simplest pleasures: a cup of hot cocoa with a candy cane to stir it or the sounds of your children laughing at their favorite holiday cartoon. There are so many simple joys to experience this time of year. Let those be your focus—not the weight of the world. As the Christmas song goes, “Let your heart be light.”
