It’s a Buddha thing…
‘Tis The Season
Ahhh, the holidays. The most stress-free time of year: said no one. No one ever.
Did you know that the average person has 50,000-70,000 thoughts per day? (via HuffPost) But that’s not where we create from. We create from our subconscious mind, not our conscious mind (where we think). The only way, then, to create with any clarity, is to quiet down.
Quieting down: that’s easier said than done. We know that as much as anyone. Especially during the holidays. Deanna has a beautiful holiday table that she creates every year, complete with candles, flowers, and an array of colorful dishes. She makes it look easy, but it’s not! It takes days of planning, cooking, cleaning, and arranging for her to get her table looking just right. That’s a lot of busyness.
So What Gives?
What can we do this time of year to calm down? What can we do to get quiet? 1.
1. Breathe
Throughout the day, take a few moments to deliberately stop and breathe. A lot of us breathe from our chests, but we want you to breathe from your belly. As you inhale, put one hand on your belly. Feel your breath filling your belly with oxygen. As you exhale, release all the breath out of your mouth. Repeat this five times; it should take a minute. It might make you uncomfortable to pause for that length of time just to breathe. But we promise, you will feel loads better. Besides everyone has a minute.
2. Step away from Amazon
We’re all sucked into the pressure to buy, buy, buy during the holidays. The longer we shop, the more fatigued and stressed we feel, especially if we’re doing so out of obligation. But giving should feel good! If it doesn’t, ask yourself if you really need to buy that thing. Are you buying it just to have something to give? Or, are you buying it because you know the receiver will love it? Will it bring joy?
3. Reflect
Sometimes the holidays are so stressful that every moment feels like it’s the end of the world. That’s not really true. When you’re feeling overwhelmed, return to the present. If you’re not in imminent danger, you can take a moment to quiet your mind.
Ask yourself:
-
What’s essential for me in this moment? Take a breath and listen to your body and what it needs.
-
Do I feel safe? Reflect on what’s causing your anxiety. Is it something you can step away from?
-
Do I feel comfortable? Often we forget to eat or go to the bathroom when we get busy. Check in with yourself. Is there something you could do to make yourself more comfortable?
Meditate With Us
Finally, take a few minutes to do our three minute, guided meditation. Listen by clicking here. We know this time of year can be full of stress, obligation, and drama. We hope you can find some solace in these words: you don’t have to do everything. You don’t have to be everything. You can slow down for a minute. Or three. Or several. Just slow down. Remember, we create from our subconscious mind, not our conscious mind.
And with that, we wish you some quiet time and a happy new year.