As we are in the throes of holiday preparation, the majority of us are short fused and forgetful. This is definitely due to the amount of holiday shopping, stressed out shoppers & sales reps. Of course, not forgetting the upcoming family drama that you will be involved in or thrown into. As much as we feel cheered by the holiday carols, it definitely is not easy to enjoy it with a peaceful heart. We always wonder if is there a way around this. Maybe there is and maybe there is not. Let’s read on to see if there is a way we can make it feel slightly easier.
Breathe and just be! Easier said than done eh! You can read every word on this blog carefully as a way to be mindful. You can listen to every word and sing every word with a full heart. The statement to remember is I am going to just feel my way into this song. Even if the song last only for 3 minutes, I am going to let out my heart into singing. The best part about singing is we usually do this alone so others won’t hear us. So sing out loud. Let you brain hear your voice and your words. This will make you smile and smiling will lead to a more Zen heart. Remember not to let other thoughts interfere. There will be plenty of other times to make a list and check it twice. But in this 3 minutes you do nothing but sing and listen. Even if you are baking, 3 minutes is a short enough time where you will not forget to take the cookies out of the oven.
Mindfulness is the technique used by many of us to stay in the moment and let our brain slow down. This is to practice slow down our neurochemistry that will decrease cortisol level and help us actually get things done or not freak out when we don’t.
This is the time of the year that will be hard to practice breathing and just be. However, this is also a great opportunity to try something new: being attentive to our singing, our movements or just 3 minutes of not doing anything, no listing, no worrying, just staring at the wonderful cookies and admiring how well they came out. When family drama happens, you will be able to just listen to the words and not need to respond with the same intensity. Since you practiced listening to your own voice singing.
Want to practice more Mindfulness and Zen, you can contact me at aileen@insightnewton.com
