As the days go by and the holidays slowly begin creeping near, it is easy for the business and obligations to begin flooding your mind. Yes, the holidays and end-of-year celebrations are exciting, but many times the mere thought of them can make you feel overwhelmed and stuck. We encourage you to approach the holidays differently this year. In this blog post, we would like to provide 3 ways of slowing down (during the holiday season).
The Art of Saying No
Have you ever noticed when “good” obligations or engagements come up, you struggle with saying “No”? When there are so many unique and fun opportunities with family, friends, church, and neighbors, it is hard to not want to miss out on the fun events. However, when you say “Yes” to one thing, you are also saying “No” to something else.
When it comes to the art of saying “No”, we encourage you to evaluate things you can say “No” to. This may be events, spending money, commitments, or even family engagements. Now, we aren’t saying to say “No” to celebrating Christmas with your extended family. However, we are encouraging you to see where you can say “No” to give you and your family some margin in your time and resources this year.
The Art of Simplicity
We overcomplicate things. Sometimes, going back to the basics and choosing to live with simplicity in mind is a great way to have a new perspective on the typically “busy” season. This can be done through having carved out times that are always spent at home with your family, buying less items, spending more time outdoors, or playing a card game.
The Art of Simplicity is a beautiful approach that is countercultural. The world loves promoting business and success. In the midst of that, we have lost the beauty of simply sitting with those you love, reading a good book, or listening to the birds call as they migrate south. Adopting simplicity may feel unnatural, but it can be transformative for slowing down especially during the holiday season.
The Art of Being Present
We are so quick to pull out a phone, put on headphones, and play music that we sometimes forget about the simple art of being present with where you are at. Present with your surroundings, the people around you, your thoughts, your feelings. The art of being present sounds great in theory, but can be difficult to consider its practical implications.
Being present requires discipline and focus, as we have forgotten what being present truly looks like. However, once you really enjoy each moment; its sights, smells, sounds, and pleasures, you will be guaranteed you have truly slowed done. And what a perfect place to be.
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