Happy Holidays Y’all!!
This is such an exciting time. I love the weather and the cool evenings, it makes walks with my dog that much better! Here is a picture of the happy guy. Winter also means holidays, yummy food, and being surrounded by family and friends. I don't know if you feel the same, but when I start to think about spending loads of time with family, I consider what triggers may come up during this time and how to best manage them. This is one of the ways I practice being self-aware. I want to make the most of my time, but I also want to actively make the choice to use a pursuit of balance practice that I learned, transcending negative emotions. Before you go into the holidays with your family, take some time to identify what triggers your family could bring up. What POB practices can you keep in your toolbox? For example, I will use mantras, expressing gratitude, and the 90 second rule! When my triggers are activated I take a deep breath, repeat to myself “this is temporary,” express gratitude for the situation (I am thankful for this opportunity to strengthen my POB practices), and then let it go after 90 seconds. I find this practice to be the most challenging for me so I welcome any opportunity to practice being resilient.
What practices will you use for your holiday time? What is your favorite holiday tradition? What is a trigger that surfaces around this time for you? Let us know!
Happy Holidays and Happy Practicing!
With love,
Heather