cheer > cringe
I think it is safe to say that a vast majority of us end up a little bit frazzled around / depleted after the holiday season (if you aren’t affected: please share your secret?).
Maybe you’re enchanted by the holidays despite it’s extreme commercialization and mass consumption (i.e. Elf on repeat). You might feel emotionally conflicted during this time, especially if the holidays represent something or someone you’re missing.
No matter what you do or don’t celebrate, the season can be a complex, nuanced, sweet and spicy cocktail of joy, overwhelm, excitement, grief, celebration, nostalgia, magic, irritation, gratitude, loneliness, over-consumption (whether cookies or parties or gifts), and *insert your feelings around the winter holidays.*
Although life can sometimes feel difficult or hectic whether it’s the end of the calendar year or not, it can definitely feel amplified and generally less balanced during the holidays.
Creating a sense of equilibrium for yourself during challenging or chaotic moments is absolutely useful. It is also – most importantly – a skill that continues to evolve over time within every season, from year to year, as they come and go.
Subscribe on Substack and read the full post for 10 ways to cultivate a little bit of balance around a notoriously wild couple of weeks; to remain as centered as possible as we close out the year with compassion for whatever happened in 2023 (whether it went as planned or not) and energy for whatever inspires us in 2024.
Ram Dass famously said, “If you think you’re enlightened, go spend a week with your family.” Similarly, one of my yoga teachers – Nikki Costello – once shared with her class that wisdom will be revealed through practice.
Consider these points – whatever they mean to you – as you practice being present and cultivating your unique sense of balance during the holiday season and into 2024.
What helps you feel centered and grounded during this time of year and beyond? Comment and let me know – we can learn so much from each other.
Take good care,
S
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