I’m Taking a Chill Approach to the Holidays this Year….

The holidays are both the most magical and the most stressful season of the year.  We all know how it is; the stress over the perfect gifts, the shopping, the holiday parties, the kids functions, the baking and cooking, etc.   My anxiety particularly picks up during this time due to all of the above (as if that isn’t enough amiright?!) but also because I lost a pregnancy over Christmas between my 3rd and 4th.

In all honesty I haven’t talked about this.  Not because I’m ashamed or feel guilty but I tend to internalize pain.  I share now because I understand that this time of year is hard for many for different reasons. We need to give ourselves the space to just be.

It’s ok to take it all in stride and make decisions that are the best for YOU and not what you feel like you should be doing.

I consciously chose to really enter into the holidays this year with a mindfulness of ignoring the expectation and focus on what is the most important to me.  Which is my children, my husband and myself.  I have taken a much more laid back approach to both blogging and IG the last few weeks.

Our family and my version of a Christmas card : )

 I haven’t done any baking yet, the kids are excited so we will do that together this week.  I bought all extended family gifts online and had them wrapped/shipped directly to them.  I don’t do Christmas cards and I haven’t started on my kids gifts, but I plan to order mostly online because I get to avoid the crowds, the traffic and the feeling of chaos it brings.

I have been staying home a lot and just being.  Binging Netflix, cooking, design idea brainstorming and spending all day in my yoga pants sans makeup.  Followed up by a host of games with the littles, loads of giggles and tons of snuggles.  It’s been glorious and I wonder why I felt the need to push myself so hard before.

It’s absolutely ok to buck the societal/cultural expectations and I wish I had figured it out before now.  The holidays are a truly magical time but they also carry difficulty for many.  I see you, I hear you and I feel you.  Give yourself the greatest gift this year and just do what is best for you.

You don’t have to have it all together, the big secret that isn’t so secret….no one has it all together.  So try to use this season as a time to think about what is good in your life  and dwell in that space.  That’s what I’m doing and it’s been so good for my soul.

I’m sending all the love and warmth to you and yours during this holiday season with a big huge hug on top of it for good measure!

How do you handle the pressures and stress of the holiday season?  Have you tried to take a more relaxed and purposeful approach to Christmas?

I always love to hear from you so pop in your thoughts in the comments.

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