Mindful into the Festive Season

After the summer is long gone and the spookiness of this year’s Halloween has ended, the most cheerful time of the year is right on our doorstep: Christmas. With its holiday spirit, its gatherings, and celebrations, for many of us it’s an annual month of merriment and joy. But it can also be a time of heightened stress and anxiety for others – the overwhelming feeling of not having enough time, too many tasks, financial angst and too little time for the things that should actually matter. So, we’ve created a little something, that might help you step on the break a bit each day, hopefully making your holidays a little bit more enjoyable and meaningful if you’re one of the souls who just can’t let go in December.

Reducing Stress by Being in the Moment

Stress is a prime catalyst for your mental well-being to collapse and the holidays can bring a myriad of pressures. Gift shopping, party planning, cooking, travel – and way too many social responsibilities that are popping up left and right. By aiming to stay present in the moment, you’ll be able to manage that stress more effectively and make wiser choices. And that’s as easy as just stepping back and taking a deep breath, tasting your favourite holiday treat, listening to the sound of carollers singing, or just the sight of the colourful twinkling Christmas lights all around us. With the accepted expectation that the holidays might not be perfect – and that’s okay! – and letting go of unrealistic standards, everything is able to slow down a bit. No need for impulse spending when being caught in the frenzy of holiday shopping or not fully being invested with our loved ones, because we must be somewhere else in an hour’s time.

Cultivate Gratitude and Self-Care

Being mindful and being grateful are two things that are tightly intertwined with each other. During the holidays it’s easy to become fixated on what you lack or what isn’t going according to plan. Instead, try shifting your focus to the things you’re grateful for – promoting a positive outlook and reducing feelings of scarcity. For this, we created a little well-being advent calendar! 24 little tips on how to implement some amid the Christmas hustle and bustle often neglected self-care. We encourage you to try them all, for a little daily boost of self-compassion and love. Take some time for yourself – and don’t compromise! Whether that’s through meditation, a relaxing bath, a cup of your favourite Christmas tea, or a lovely walk in nature. You’ll be surprised at how much better a rejuvenated you is equipped to handle the demands of the season.

Find Your True Meaning of Christmas

Ultimately, a mindful festive season is about reconnecting with the true meaning of the holidays – your true meaning. And it’s only on you to decide what it’s about. A religious celebration? A time for giving or a period of reflection? Spending time with the ones you love – or just enjoying the quiet time of the year in peace all by yourself? Looking at the wonderful, colourful lights? Whatever it is, being mindful about it can help you stay grounded in your values and intentions in times when they become a bit wonky or things overwhelming. The festive season is meant to be joy-, not stressful. So, this year, start gifting yourself the time that you deserve to navigate the holiday whirlwind – and focus only on the things, that bring you peace and fulfilment.