6 top tips to embrace mindfulness during the holidays
Christmas can be a hectic and stressful time and the stress can take away from the special time of year with family. But using mindfulness during the holidays can change all of this. We’ve got 6 of the best tips and techniques you need to have a more mindful Christmas this year.
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What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is simply being present and fully aware in the moment. Aware of where you are, what you are doing, how you are feeling and your thoughts. It is also a state of observation, not reacting or being overwhelmed by what is going on outside and inside.
This activity is important to help keep you grounded and allow you to feel this moment. Rather than allowing your mind to run off into a completely different time. The effect of mindfulness is to bring you to the present and help you to enjoy that moment fully, without worry, stress or judgement.
Mindfulness has proven to improve happiness in people. Reducing stress and anxiety to significantly improve your health and wellness. In addition, mindfulness has shown to improve sleep, reduce pain and increase regulation of emotions.
One of the best parts about mindfulness is that it is so easy to practice and you can use it every day.
If you need more information about getting started with mindfulness, check out our Ultimate Guide to Mindfulness for beginners.
6 Ways to have a Mindful Christmas
Mindfulness can be an excellent addition to your holiday season to help you cope with the stress and business of the holidays. However, it will also be a great tool to allow you to appreciate this time and enjoy it.
So often does the stress of the holidays take over and potentially ruin it for you. But you have the power to make the most of it, enjoy the special moments through mindfulness and here’s how…
1. Stop and pause every once in a while
Rushing around shopping for presents for your family members. Cooking obscene amounts of food. Planning and attending massive events and all things Christmas is hectic! You can end up completely swept up in the whirlwind that is the holidays.
Once it’s over, the holidays can feel like a bit of blur and relief from the stress. But for me, this isn’t what this time of year is about. Surely you should be enjoying giving presents to others and receiving them? Not stressing over whether you are getting it right and how much money you’re spending.
The events and people you see during this time should be enjoyable, fun, and special. Rather than trying to have everything perfect, obsessing over the details and making the best impression. This simple mindfulness technique can help you turn this stress around.
Take a minute to stop. Breathe deeply, feeling your lungs fill with air and force it back out again. Using the exhale to release the tension in your muscles, relax and feel your body completely.
Even stopping and taking a few breaths for seconds or longer will be beneficial. Allowing you to gather your thoughts and stop rushing around.
Use this pause to evaluate what you are feeling and how your thoughts may have become uncontrollable. Then you can make a more effective plan moving forward and continue with a much clearer head. Therefore, you become more intentional with your time and can show up as your best self.
This mindfulness technique will be truly effective in any situation. From the shopping mall, wrapping presents and sat at the dinner table with family. Use this whenever you need it to bring yourself to the present, calm your mind and enjoy a mindful Christmas.
2. Mindful eating
Food is a massive part of the holidays. Bringing people together and often being the centre of any holiday event.
However, this time of year can lead to mindless eating. Consuming vast amounts of sugar, picking constantly and binge eating and drinking. This isn’t ideal for your health and wellness.
This kind of mindless eating compromises your immune system, causing weight gain and putting you at risk of illness. Generally speaking, overeating doesn’t make you feel good about yourself physically or mentally. Leaving you feeling uncomfortable and far from happy.
You can successfully combat this negativity by applying mindfulness.
While you are eating, chew more slowly to observe the textures, the flavours and the experience of this amazing food. How does it make you feel? Does it bring about any fond memories from your childhood or remind of someone you love?
It might sound weird to eat in this way but the experience can be fulfilling. Mindful eating can help you to eat slower and help you recognise when you are full so that you eat less. Avoiding the post-Christmas dinner bloat and allowing you to enjoy the food more.
This applies any time you are eating. If you’re sitting watching holiday movies, do you really want the chocolate or sweet treat? If you want some, take one piece at a time and fully experience it. You might find a whole new appreciation for food and an appreciation for those that have cooked it.
Share that appreciation with your family as well so that they can also experience this enjoyment.
3. Go for a mindful walk
A walk usually springs to mind as a family activity to do on Christmas day to pass the time. Thankfully, walking provides many benefits including exercise and fresh air.
But, including mindfulness on a daily walk can completely transform your mentality during the holidays.
When walking, begin slowly. Noticing how your feet move, the weight transferring from the heel of your foot to the toes and to the next foot. Feeling all of the muscles in your legs lifting your feet to move forwards. Being fully present in your body.
You can bring yourself into the present moment by also being attentive to sounds, your breath, and the feeling of wind or rain on your skin. Observing yourself and the environment to really add to your experience.
This mindfulness technique brings about a further appreciation of the experience. As well as an appreciation of how you actually experience through your senses. Without this body and mind, you wouldn’t feel, think or experience the world.
The body truly is amazing. Mindful walking can encourage a whole new perspective and gratitude for everything around you.
This appreciation and gratitude cultivated throughout the holidays to create a happy and mindful Christmas.
4. Mindfully look after yourself
The holiday season can see you being pulled in every direction. Trying to keep up with the demands and needs of your friends and family. However, it can be a struggle to show up as your best self during this special time when you are lacking energy and burnt out.
To combat this and avoid burn out, you can mindfully look after yourself. This can include:
- taking more me-time
- using self-care techniques more regularly
- saying no when you need to
- saying yes to things that are meaningful to you
- using mindfulness tools to ground your energy
By honouring yourself, you can have a much more successful holiday season. Ensuring that you are meeting your own needs as well as others in a way that is respectful to you.
It can be so easy to be swept up in the madness but it makes mindfulness even more important. You can purposely choose to do the things that are meaningful to you. Taking time for yourself when you need it and mindfully navigating the holidays.
One technique I enjoy is taking time to journal in the mornings. Listing and considering what I am grateful for, what I intend for the day and how I want to show up. I also use my LSW mind cards pack to encourage more mindfulness throughout my day.
Using this pack of cards, you are motivated to consider quotes, acts of kindness, gratitude and journal prompts. Helping you to think and act intentionally every day for a more mindful Christmas.
5. Practice gratitude
One of my favourite mindfulness techniques to use is gratitude. Gratitude is the act of mindfully thinking of the things you have right now. Appreciating them and being thankful for them.
Christmas can become all about what you can gain. Black Friday sales and Christmas shopping encourage this time of year to be all about consumption and gain. But, this can take the joy, excitement and appreciation out of the holidays.
Practising gratitude can help you realise how fortunate and rich you already are.
Every morning, think of at least three things that you are grateful for. They can be something small like your favourite bit of clothing or huge concepts like the roof over your head, the running water and your heart that beats.
Whatever you choose to think about, deeply consider each one. Feel the thanks and appreciation for those things fill your entire body. Smile out of the love for them and say thank you.
This practice puts into perspective all the things you have. Not everyone will have all of these things and feel this love, thanks, and joy that it brings. Brining you back into the present and realising what is actually important and meaningful to you.
6. Give back to others
Being wrapped up in events, present buying and food eating can result in others being neglected. Giving back to others intentionally is a great to have a mindful Christmas.
Giving back can include charitable acts of donating money or your time. Ensuring you do this in a meaningful way and properly giving thanks and appreciating the work that those charities do.
Giving back can also be in the things that you do for the people mean the most to you. Is there someone in your life that goes above and beyond for you? How can you show your appreciation for them in a powerful way?
This doesn’t have to be in the giving of gifts. It can be in the way you invite them into your home, take care of them or help them with things that are stressful. Your time and the way you intentionally spend it can just as powerful as gift giving.
This mindful act of giving back to others can also relieve the pressure of having to buy things too. Instead, showing your appreciation in considered acts of love and kindness.
Have your best holiday season now
I hope these 6 tips have helped you consider ways to have a more mindful Christmas this year. Allowing you to thrive and enjoy your time rather than letting the stress overcome you.
Mindfully take time for yourself, enjoy mindful eating and walks and take those moments to stop and pause. Create a whole new appreciation for the holidays with gratitude and giving back to others intentionally. You can create a beautiful and special time for yourself and your family this year.
We want to hear from you! Let us know how you are being more mindful this Christmas in the comments