Celebrating Christmas with kindness to all including myself!

Tis the season to be harried- fa la la la la, la la la la.
No one to blame but lit-tle ole' me- fa la la la la, la la la la.
Yet only I can change my attitude, fa la la, la la la, la la la.
Celebrate by making time for gratitude, fa la la la la, la la la la!

My family know that little dittys go through my head constantly.  At home they often come out as I sing to everyone about everything.  The dog, to kennel up.  When the kids were little we sang about bath time and picking up toys. I sing about cooking supper and something I hear on the news.  Thankfully my family is tolerant and don't get too annoyed with my rhyming little songs. 

Lately I have been letting the holiday schedule of hectic obligations get on my nerves because I have been feeling that I cannot complete all the tasks that I need to do.  In trying to embrace all the joys of Christmas and the wonderful gift of the holidays I began to fall into the trap of losing track of the joy in the process. Not much singing was going on.  The more anxious I became about completing my to do list and finishing the semester at the high school I work at  (finals are next week)  the less holiday spirit grew inside me.  It was during an almost meltdown that I realized, I had done this all to myself.  I was the one who had placed these expectations on myself.  No one else.

How easy it is to fall into the trap of trying to fit into the society norm of doing it all, or worse yet, comparing ourselves to others.  I am guilty.  But I can also choose to make better choices and give myself the gift of kindness that I am working so hard to give to others.  I can do this by evaluating what things on my schedule I feel very passionate about and focus on those things.  While letting the other things go.  I did just that the other day.  I took time to print out a calendar and fill in the dates with items that I really wanted to participate in, limiting myself to only a few tasks per evening after work.  I scheduled in the church obligations, baking days, wrapping days, and even a day to clean because the dust is getting deep and this stresses me but I know I can't do everything, everyday so that will be completed closer to the actual holiday so that it may last for visitors.

Some things will lapse, things I really enjoy . but must trade for other activities I equally want to do.  For example, I love to do Urban Groove at Genesis, it is a type of Zumba class.  However, I can't do the night class and all the baking I also want to do for friends and family.  So for a week or so  I will omit Zumba and relax in a different way without beating myself up about not getting enough exercise. 

That's the key, I am finding, allowing ourselves the tolerance to make choices and not feel like we are letting someone (even our self) down. Easier said than done, but worth the effort.
It is equally important to remember that it is because we are so blessed that we have the means to be stressed!  This calms my harried nerves faster than any other thought.  If I wasn't blessed with  friends, I wouldn't be busy seeing them and doing activities with them.  If I wasn't blessed with means, I wouldn't be baking cookies, or  buying and wrapping gifts for family and friends.  And if I wasn't blessed to know and love the Lord, I would not be spending time working at his church preparing for the celebration of his birth. All of these things I am truly grateful for and I am blessed to have them in my life so I don't mind so much making choices to not do some of my other favorite things in trade for these.

It is so important to spread joy and kindness throughout the holiday season and all the year, but don't forget while taking care of others, to also take care of yourself. Then there will be glad tidings and great joy for all to share!

Merry Christmas!!

Embracing Peace....30 Days to Peace

Tis' the holiday season and busyness is everywhere.  The stores are busy with people hustling and bustling about as they buy presents.  Decorations are everywhere, and where there are decorations, there are obligations and parties.  I look at my calendar and everyday has something attached to the date.  Instead of finding joy in the days, I find myself feeling overwhelmed.

I am part of a year long enrichment program with some of my coworkers at the school district. It is titled "Inspired Leadership" and has already helped me find my center in many ways.  We are encouraged to practice being "present" in all our endeavors and learn to say no to things that are merely obligations that take away our energy and give us no enrichment. Our sessions are led by a wonderful coach, Tamara Konrade.  She helps us find the energy to be authentic and evaluate the motives behind decisions to help us all become better in our relationships with others and ourselves.

When I last was on the Blogging for Books website, I had recently attended one of her sessions.  One book appealed to me and I ordered it right away,  30 Days to Peace has not disappointed.   30 Days to Peace is a one month creative journal published by Waterbrook.  I am simply in joy over this lovely little book.  I wrote the first few entries this week and already I feel much less harried.  In fact, yesterday I had a stressful end to my work day and before getting into the car to come home I worked on a journal entry.  I was amazed how much better, more centered and purpose driven I felt.   Rather than  just wanting to escape the moment I ran towards the tasks I had, and truly enjoyed them.

I would recommend 30 days to Peace to anyone who needs some comfort and quiet during this busy season.  I  truly feel that it has helped me find the joy of the season.

FTC disclaimer: I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.