Sobering Up from the Holidays

I am a big fan of the holiday season, I absolutely love to cook, to mingle, catch up, slow down and in general I enjoy the opportunity to connect to what matters in life and enjoy the simpler pleasures. It doesn't matter if you are only taking one day or a whole week to celebrate, it's really easy for you to get derailed from the path you walk in your every day life. It can be very beneficial to take a break from your goals, your work, your exercise and diet routines, it gives you a chance to breathe and remember that determination isn't the only admirable quality of life. These breaks allow for you to detach the ego from the process, allow some creativity in, give your brain a break and, most importantly, nurture the Soul. Taking time to just be, without rules and regulations, can be the best way to connect to what really matters, that is to say, connect to your Soul's higher path and purpose. It's always good to see when you come back from a few days off what your first desires are, the things you prioritize and even remember, this can often be an indicator of what actually matters (versus what you thought mattered). 

As beneficial as it can be to stop everything and enjoy the holidays, it can also be very distracting, making it very difficult to get back into your routine. Any positive daily routine is one that revolves around helping you achieve exactly what you need to make your life flow. Fortunately/Unfortunately the holidays typically requires you to do everything for or amongst the group as a whole. There is very little "me" time during the holidays because you are busy catching up with others, cleaning, cooking, decorating, partying, organizing, shopping for and with others. This can easily lead to personal depletion, that is to say that although you are enjoying yourself, you lose track of what you need to nurture yourself. Personally, I often end holidays dropping down from the high into slump of total exhaustion, physical and mental. There is a sensation that you just jumped off a train moving 100 mph and rolled into a field surrounded by absolutely nothing, all the while wondering, "What the hell just happened?!" If I don't do something about all of this quickly, that field turns into a desert and I feel lost. The reality check can be harsh.

Not only do I feel disconnected from my work, but I also feel very exhausted from continuous interaction with others. I love to interact with others, but I know myself well enough to know that I absolutely need some alone time in order to reboot myself so that I am once again operating at 100% and able to fulfill my duties. The fourth chakra reminds us that we are only as strong for others as we are for ourselves. You cannot serve and achieve with a half empty cup. You cannot love others if you have no love for yourself. The more I connect with my work the more sensitive I become, I am acutely aware of when I am not my best and it is typically because I need some time for myself. 

Taking time for yourself to reboot doesn't require vast amounts of time or energy or money, you just need to know what serves you best. Emphasis on "you" because the most beneficial replenishing activities are done alone and quietly. Moving meditation, if you will. What do you absolutely love to do more than anything? Maybe it's going for a walk, a hot bath, a creative project, reading a book. What nourishes your soul? The key to getting back into the swing of things successfully is to revive yourself first. Uninhibited "you" time, minimal talking, minimal thinking, I dare-say minimal "doing"- essentially you want less of your mind and more of your Soul in this process. Although exercise is technically "doing," you are doing it without a lot of effort and that is a good thing. Less doing, more being. So treat yourself and do whatever you need to do, remember that this isn't selfish! Selfishness eludes self-centeredness and this is the complete opposite because one you nurture yourself you will be able to return to your life, your work, your people with more strength and awareness than you had before, and that is a gift to everyone. 

Once you do what you need to do then you can start to get back into the swing of things. This is a good time to break out pen and paper and start brainstorming all the things that you want to achieve, all the things you want to do, your goals, actions steps, anything that is in the way. Make charts, lists, stories, anything that helps you to remember what you left behind and start visualizing it all again, you will likely find that it all floods back into your mind. Then get to it! Try to start with one or two really simple things to remind yourself of how easy it all is, then dig right in. Before you know it, you'll be better than you were before- ready to take on anything that the world (and your own mind) will throw at you!

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If you're still feeling a bit off course then maybe it's time for a check in! A Soul Reading and a coaching session package is a quick trick with major benefits, for longer term support look into my Empowered Woman Guidebook coaching program.