There’s cookies to bake, presents to buy and wrap, decorations to put up, parties to attend or host, Christmas dinners to plan, Elf on the Shelf activities to plan and execute, the list goes on… Sometimes even just thinking about everything I have to do to prepare for or celebrate the holidays makes me feel overwhelmed. When I get to that state of overwhelm, all joy immediately goes straight out of the window. What’s worse, in order to cope, I go into auto-pilot, only focused on executing each task, not really enjoying any of it. By the time I know it, the holiday season is over and I’m left feeling as though I didn’t even REALLY get to celebrate it.
What’s worse, is when I shift into auto-pilot mode, it hinders my ability to connect with the people I love…because I’m not really present. I’m all up in my head, trying to organize my thoughts.
But what if I could have a different experience? What if I could do all of the things while remaining present and actually enjoying them? What if I could focus more on connecting with my loved ones and less on the stress of my holiday to-do list?
The truth is, it is possible by using two simple yet effective tools: Mindfulness and Gratitude.
In this post, I’ll discuss what mindfulness is and how it goes hand in hand with gratitude. I’ll also share 6 ways you can practice both this holiday season, to help you enhance your holidays.
First, let’s talk about what Mindfulness is…
There are several components to Mindfulness:
- First, mindfulness is the ability to be fully present and aware of where we are and what we’re doing. It is a meditative principle that helps us to slow down and remain grounded in the present. You see, we can often find ourselves worrying about our future or ruminating on our past, but mindfulness brings us back to the present and reminds us that right now, in this moment, we are okay.
- Second, mindfulness allows us to trade judgment for acceptance of our thoughts, feelings and emotions. It allows us to observe them more objectively, which reduces some of their strength. This, in turn, allows us better control over our reactions.
- Finally, mindfulness can help us to elevate our experiences. We enjoy the activity we’re engaging in because we experience it fully, using all of our senses.
If I had to describe it from my own personal experience, the following thoughts come to mind.
- Mindfulness is a moment of awe and appreciation for whatever it is you’re doing or experiencing in the moment.
- It is a moment of complete engagement, a subversive experience.
- The term “child-like wonderment” comes to mind.
- By utilizing all of your senses you ground yourself in the moment and feel a presence like none other.
- Instantly your regrets of the past and fears about the future disappear and you feel safe and at peace, right now, in the moment.
Mindfulness is an important coping strategy used to help mitigate stress. I became interested, borderline obsessed some would say, in stress management several years ago when I took a position helping people to better manage their stress. I noted the ripple effect poor stress management had on every area of their lives, especially in their personal relationships. I personally believe that in order to have healthy relationships with others, we first need to have healthy relationships with ourselves. If this resonates with you and you’re interested in learning more about how to improve your relationship with yourself and others, check out my eBook: Journey Within, which is meant to help you along on that journey:
I won’t cover how to practice mindfulness in this particular post but will reference my previous blog post: How Mindfulness Can Transform Every Area of Your Life and Why Everyone Should Be Practicing It which provides more of an overview, plus a FREE resource for mindfulness exercises.
When I practice mindfulness, I find that gratitude comes naturally to me…
I believe mindfulness and gratitude go hand in hand because when I practice mindfulness, I find that gratitude comes naturally to me. And this makes sense, given the awe and appreciation I feel when practicing mindfulness.
Whether you’re starting a gratitude practice or want to stretch your current gratitude skills, practicing mindfulness can help you. If you’re just starting out, mindfulness can get you into the awe-inspiring mindset where gratitude flows naturally. If you’re already established in a practice, mindfulness can help you to identify and focus on the things you may often overlook which can be appreciated and celebrated.
One good way to adopt a new habit is to log it, thereby ingraining it as a practice. Therefore, I am including my Gratitude and Self Care tracker as a free resource. This digital document is meant to be used both in the morning and evenings, helping you to start your day with intention and focus and end it with gratitude and rejuvenation. Get it here:
Now, let’s get into some ways you can use mindfulness to find gratitude during this holiday season…
Here are 6 ways to use mindfulness to find gratitude during the holidays:
- Pause and breathe
I do this regularly, probably at least a handful of times a day. I’m usually cued to pause and breathe when I glance upon something beautiful. For the holiday season, this could be your Christmas tree, a decorated space, Christmas lights, a flickering Christmas candle, a spectacularly decorated cookie, really anything that engages at least one of your senses. When you begin to notice one of your senses being engaged, challenge yourself to use what other senses (touch, smell, sight, sound, taste) you can to really turn it into a mindful experience.
- Practice Gratitude in the Present Moment
Mindfulness is all about being grounded in the present moment. Once you have taken in the experience using all (or most) of your senses, pause to reflect on what specifically it is you appreciate about the moment. Personally, I find myself doing this a lot while watching my kids experience something related to the holidays, such as looking at a Christmas light display, decorating a Christmas cookie, or singing along to Christmas music.
- Set Intentions for Gratitude
Before heading into a particularly stressful day filled with Holiday events, take a few moments to set an intention to cultivate gratitude. You may want to set an objective (or goal), such as to remain present while with family or to focus on what I have versus what I lack. Also, identify some action steps you can take to help you be successful in achieving your goal. When you find yourself straying from this goal, recommit. If you haven’t already requested my free Gratitude and Self Care tracker resource, do so here:
- Limit Multi-tasking
The holidays often require juggling multiple tasks at once. However, multitasking can reduce the quality of our interactions and increase stress. Try to focus on one thing at a time, whether that’s wrapping a gift, setting the table, or chatting with a family member. By giving each task your full attention, you not only increase your mindfulness but you also create a space to appreciate the experience and the people involved.
- Reflect On What You’re Grateful For
At the end of each day, take a few moments to reflect on what you’re grateful for. This can be as simple as appreciating a joyful moment you shared with family or feeling thankful for the warmth and comfort of your home. You can even keep a gratitude journal, jotting down a few things each day that brought you joy or made you feel connected. These small reflections, done mindfully, can shift your focus away from the holiday stress and bring a sense of peace and fulfillment.
- Practice Self Compassion
During the holidays, it’s easy to be hard on yourself, especially with all the pressure to do more, give more, and be more. Practicing mindfulness means showing kindness to yourself, even when things get hectic. Instead of criticizing yourself for not doing everything “perfectly,” show compassion and acknowledge your efforts. Be grateful for your ability to care for others, to be present, and to make the most of each day.
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