Radical Self Care
How to Thrive and Survive the Holiday Madness
The
gift of self-care is probably something we all need more off during this
Holiday season. In a culture that is
already filled with busyness and a plethora of activities, the tempo of daily
life increases, and the demands of our time and attention reach a peak. It can also be a fun time with gatherings,
travel plans and many enjoyable activities.
But for many this season triggers painful issues around relationships,
family dynamics, social isolation, financial pressures and old patterns, the
past comes knocking at our door.
I
have found a mixture of excitement and dread around the holidays. As an extrovert, I want to be included and
be part off, but I also yearn for quiet time and rest. It’s a balancing act, like walking a
tightrope that I fear falling from.
Closing my eyes to my needs when my attention and time is being pulling
in many directions can feel distressful and leave me feeling a little
despondent and drained. I navigate
these seasonal waters by grounding my intentions and understanding that balance
in all areas of my life necessary.
Watching my intake of food and alcohol, being in nature, doing some
exercising and leaning on my spiritual practices help me stay center on my true
needs. Trusting my inner guidance helps
determine my participation in activities that bring me the most joy and
fulfillment, because this fuels my energy.
To know my limits directs me to make correct choices so I may enjoy my
encounters with others, free of distractions, of what is next and relax into
the present moment.
Self-care
during this season is even more essential to help manage and maintain a healthy
outlook in life. Self-care is an act of
self-love in a culture that thrives on excess and overindulgence during the
Holiday season. Radical self-care is a
revolutionary act because it asks us to suspend self-judgment, release
disappointment and disengage from outer stimulation. It calls us to truly slow down and nurtures ourselves
above all else. Through self-care we
seek inner balance and reconnection with our essential self so we may integrate
our experiences. This helps bring new perspective to what helps us grow into
our best selves, instead of living in the past and giving our power away to
outer circumstances.
