Being In The Here And Now

Anyone else rushing around trying to “make it all happen”, getting work ready for the end of year, getting prepared at home for the festive season?  Been up late?  Been out many evenings doing errands?  Holiday parties?  Family events on the weekends?   It can feel very full and lively at this time of year, or overwhelming, or both. You are not alone.
 
Whether it is being rushed off your feet for the month of December or the fact that we put a lot of stock into re-envisioning ourselves in the New Year, what happens for many of us after the holiday binge has subsided is a time of reflection and evaluation and we ask ourselves big, deep questions like: “Is this the life I thought I would be living?” (or some version of this question).  There is no answer to this type of inquiry that sets you up for success in your next year when asked before you’ve given yourself a chance to re-charge (these questions often creep in when we are over-tired, or when we’ve been sacrificing to make other people’s “moments” happen, etc.).  The inevitable planning for the New Year will come, but before rushing into it (especially since our “rush” muscles have been getting tuned all month and are primed for action) use this prompt to do something different this year.
 
Do nothing.  Attend to your current state of mind before heading into the rush of planning your life in the next year.    Often the specter of “what‘s next” comes upon us in moments of silence, like when the gifts have all been unwrapped, the parties are done, and you are finally enjoying a quiet moment, sipping something soothing under the sparkle of festive lights.  But is this the right time to plan the future?  Not really, it may be the first time you’ve had to put your feet up all month, so do that instead. Give yourself this moment to enjoy (you worked hard to get here).  Put off thinking about big plans for a time when you can be objective and less swayed by the “emotion” of the season. 
 
Stretch, enjoy the good will of others, bask in all that is merry and bright.  Sink into this moment and savour it.  There is a time for plans and evaluations, but this moment of calm relaxation will never come again.  Enjoy it, guilt free.  Find your moments over the holidays and hold onto them, they are what real life is all about.