How to Find Your Balance During This Season

Holiday shopping, parties, and out of town guests…oh my! Those are some of the causes for our temporary disruption of balance and calm. Seasonal excitement and stress is evident almost everywhere I go. Some of us take off for the season to unwind and relax. No work or obligations. However, even the vacationers can experience holiday stress in preparation for taking time off.

I began wondering about ways to find balance during this busy time of year. While I was pondering, my gaze became fixed on the bowl of fidgets on my desk. This collection of miniature toys includes reminders of attitudes, places visited, childhood memories and more. When working in my office, I’m accompanied by uplifting thoughts and tiny toys to play with.

It occurred to me, that some of the messages in my bowl were a great starting point for restoring balance and adjusting that holiday season perspective. Maybe one of these will be useful for you.

7 Ways to Find More Balance During the Holiday Season

1. Optimism

Is your glass half full or half empty? Where do you lean? Shifting your thoughts to positive outcomes and possibilities can counteract your seasonal anxiety and stress. What fills your glass?

2. You Are Here

Locate yourself. Be present. Take in the moment that is now. Sit with it and appreciate where you are, whom you are with, and what you are sensing. Don’t past or future-think. Just be here.

3. WW

Access your Wonder Woman, superhero powers. These include superhuman strength, speed, durability, reflexes and longevity. Strike a Wonder Woman power pose and feel your balance, strength and confidence increase.

4. Try Smile Therapy

Smiling creates physiological changes in the body including lowering blood pressure, releasing endorphins and relieving stress. Have you tried smile therapy? Bring back some happy balance to your days by smiling your way through the holiday season. Watch some slapstick, put on your favorite comedy, or share a smile with a stranger. Mouth corners up!

5. Feelings

This can be a tumultuous time of year that brings about all kinds of intense feelings from happy to sad to angry to frustrated. Don’t judge your feelings. Acknowledge them. Feel them. They are temporary and will move on. Don’t let them derail your days.

6. I Like Big Puns

Humor is a wonderful way to re-balance a stressful day. There’s nothing quite as fun as laughing at silly jokes with your friends or family. My brother-in-law was visiting recently and showered us with his long list of puns and jokes. Even though I’d heard them many times before, I couldn’t help but laugh. How about this one? . . .

“I wondered why the baseball was getting bigger. Then it hit me.”

7. Sparkle

Let your inner sparkle shine, while appreciating the outer sparkle of the season. There’s more glitter and glitz this time of year. I love it! I’ll admit that I love a little sparkle all year long. Let the luminosity of the season remind us to focus on the bright spots. Take the path away from the frenzy towards the joy. Sparkle on.

Which items from my bowl of fidgets speak to you? What helps you bring some balance and perspective back to this full, busy season? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Come join the conversation.