Sliding into the Holidays
I just realized that Monday is Halloween! Once Halloween is over, I find the holidays approach rapidly and in a blink, I’m regrouping to start the new year. There is this feeling of time speeding up and almost a slippery, sliding quality to the unfolding of events that makes it challenging to stay present and in the moment.
It reminds me of how quickly I feel I’m moving through the airport as I walk along the people mover — everything in 2x speed.
As this year has already had its challenges (thank you Hurricane Ian), I am determined to get a grip on myself, my household, and my intentions for the upcoming holiday season. To be honest, the holidays seem to loom over me a bit each year regardless of events and natural disasters. And I can’t help but wonder why that is.
Maybe because, in the business of interior design, many clients want to use their homes to entertain and gather during the holidays so we are in “finishing mode,” trying to get things wrapped up. Take that times 20-30 projects and it’s a lot.
Maybe because we have all of these expectations of how the holidays SHOULD BE — fun, beautiful, exciting, filled with meaningful moments and connections with people we love (not to mention delicious food and glamorous beverages). Seriously — that’s a lot of pressure to put on the holiday season but I think most of us do it.
Or maybe it’s because we don’t take the time to pause, slow down and think about the experience we really need and want to have. I am taking that moment today and I invite you to take it with me. So stop reading, go fix yourself a warm mug of your favorite drink and let’s just breathe together for a few minutes.
Don’t worry — I’ll wait.
All set?
Ok. So together let’s take a minute to just feel the seat (or bed) beneath us. Close your eyes and take in a few deep, centering breaths. Inhale and exhale. I’m doing this too.
Now, open your eyes and really notice the space around you — the quality of the light, the warmth or coolness of the environment, the feel of the mug or cup in your hand. I find this is a great start to any sort of inquiry. Being fully present is powerful and opens us to divine direction.
The purpose of this exercise is to figure out what experience we would like most to have in the next 2 months and to fix that as an intention in our mind. This focus makes it much more likely that it will happen and we will find some happiness this holiday season. In taking a few minutes to establish what we want most, we are more likely to avoid the crazed notion that the holidays are wild, out of control and just kind of happen to us (not unlike a hurricane, ironically).
I find it helpful to write these things down, so I’ll share what comes to me with you, in case that might be helpful or inspire your own reflection.
I would like to feel strength and calm this holiday season. I would like to not dread any of the days or gatherings to which I commit (so I am going to be super careful about what I say yes to). I would also like to have a sense of spaciousness in my schedule so that I can be spontaneous and allow for unexpected moments of joy and even transcendence to occur. Can holidays have transcendent moments? I hope so — let’s compare notes in January.
I want to enjoy the festivities and the foods but not to overeat myself into a big weight loss event in January.
I want to truly enjoy the sanctuary that is my home, taking time to light the candles, sit with soft music and experience gratitude for everything that is around me.
I want to get enough rest and stay solid in my perspective in what is important and what is not important (sweating the small stuff seems to take on a life of its own during the holidays).
On a lighter note, I also want to wear as many sequins as I can — have you seen the abundance of sparkle on the fall and winter clothing introductions lately? I’m obsessed. See rag & bone and the Porter Collective.
So there we have it. It’s a start! Please share your intentions with me — send me an email at lisa@findingsanctuary.com or comment below the post. I so love to hear from you.
With love and gratitude,
Lisa