The holiday season moves fast, especially when you have kids. It’s no wonder this time of year often leaves parents feeling stressed, depleted, and overall frazzled. Christmas lasts all of seven minutes before you’re putting away your ornaments and looking forward to the year ahead.
Let’s press pause, shall we?
Here are three ways you can lean into the practice of slowing down this Christmas:
- Do one less thing.
Maybe you over-stuff your calendar, especially during Christmas. This year, opt to do one less thing instead. Don’t try to fit it all in. Look at your list of activities and remove one. Leave some room around the edges of your calendar and give
the rest of what you’ll do some breathing room. - Put down the phone.
Your phone isn’t just a phone, it’s also an escape pod. Whenever you want, it offers you the chance to mentally disappear from a moment. Part of the reason we miss the holidays is we’re stuck on our devices. This year, be deliberate about taking a break. Leave your phone in a drawer. Put it back in your bedroom during a dinner party. Throw it in the glove compartment when you drive to grandma’s house. Something that small can make a big difference. - Start a new tradition.
Sometimes, we speed through the holidays because we don’t have any traditions. A good tradition is like a speed bump: It slows you down and reminds you of years gone by. It pauses you and quiets the moment. A tradition doesn’t have to be massive. Think of a new one you can start this year.
This holiday season is yours, too. We hope you’re able to make the most of it for yourself and your family. May you find yourself laughing more, relaxing more, and taking deeper breaths