7 Ways to Rediscover the Magic of the Holiday Season!

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Rediscover the magic of the holiday season this year! The winter season should be a magical time. However, it’s often a source of stress and anxiety.

Increased social commitments, family tension, concerns about spending money, and changes to your daily routine aren’t always easy to navigate.

However, you do have choices! Regardless of your religious affiliation, this season is meant to be a time of gratitude, love, remembrance, and family.

So, isn’t it time you rediscovered the magic of the holiday season?

Back to Basics

The holidays are a perfect time to savor the most beautiful aspects of life: family, friends, and the coziness of sitting by a roaring fire wrapped in a soft blanket while snowflakes fall from the sky.

Unfortunately, you may find yourself preoccupied with everything that needs to be done and scrambling to finish a lengthy to-do list!

So, how much are you really enjoying it?

But, don’t worry, I have you covered. It’s time to rediscover the magic of the holiday season!

7 Ways to Rediscover the Magic of the Holiday Season

Bring Back the Magic

You can find effective ways to rediscover the magic of the holiday season. Here are seven tips for having a great experience!

1. Practice Gratitude

Abundance and prosperity flow easily when you fully appreciate what you already have. When you are grateful, the Universe interprets this as abundance and will send you more goodness!

Gratitude Changes Your Brain

Practicing gratitude helps to embrace positive emotions and can be an effective way to strengthen your mental health.

When you nurture a state of gratitude in your daily life, anxiety and negative emotions will often dissipate, making you more resilient, and therefore, happier.

Feelings of gratitude will reconnect you to your higher self, shift your mindset in positive ways, and help you to rediscover the magic of the holiday season.

So, consider creating a personalized gratitude practice that can extend even beyond the holidays. This will increase your productivity and boost your mood in the process!

Psychology Today writes that the benefits of gratitude are backed by research, and include healthier relationships, greater empathy, better sleep, and overall improved mental and physical health.

And, according to an article in a Forbes magazine, a simple gratitude practice can help you feel happier by increasing feelings of inner peace and tranquility.

Action Step

Instead of coming from a place of feeling badly about what you cannot buy or afford this holiday season, focus on abundance.

You can instantly change your state of mind by fully appreciating what you do have. An easy and effective way to cultivate an attitude of gratitude is to write down daily what you are truly grateful for in a journal.

And, you will soon realize that the things you are deeply grateful for are not the items that you own, but the people and experiences in your life.

The Gift of Giving

In addition, giving can be as rewarding as receiving, so be generous this holiday season.

There are so many ways you can help others. And, this is a surefire way to help you rediscover the magic of the holiday season.

Commit random acts of kindness when the opportunity arises. For example, buy a coffee for someone who works outdoors. Or, donate to a food bank. You can even adopt a pet or sponsor a shelter animal.

Get creative and have fun! Making other people happy makes you happy, too.

“No one has ever become poor by giving.”

Anne Frank

And, get your children or grandchildren involved, as well. Children are inherently kind and giving.

By cultivating their naturally generous spirit, they learn how to interact with the world in a meaningful way. And, this will make a lasting impression!

Action Step

Decide which cause is worthy to you and then donate your money or your time.

Whether you provide supplies to the animal shelter, purchase gifts for a family in need, or donate your blood to the local blood bank, doing something that brings joy to others will make you feel wonderful, as well!

2. Stay Present

We all tend to be a bit more on edge during the holiday season. Busy roadways, crowded stores, and the pressure to get everything done can increase stress.

And, if you’re not grounded in the present, these situations can make you feel frustrated, resentful, or angry.

Staying present is an invaluable practice when you’re feeling overwhelmed. In order to make conscious decisions, practice mindfulness to stay centered.

Action Step

Mindfulness describes a variety of practices that you can incorporate into your daily routine. For instance, meditation is becoming a very popular way to increase mindfulness.

However, there are some simple ways you can practice mindfulness throughout even a busy day:

• Observe your breathing. Take a few minutes from your day to draw a few deep, slow breaths.
• Go for a walk outdoors.
• Take mini breaks throughout the day by clearing your mind and sitting in stillness.
• Avoid doing too many things at once. Instead, put your full attention on the task at hand.

Family

During the holiday season, we spend more time with our family.

This can be wonderful, but sometimes it stirs up unresolved or unpleasant emotions. These are the people who know exactly how to push your buttons, and unfortunately, they sometimes do!

In order to rediscover the magic of the holiday season, be mindful of your triggers. Decide beforehand how you want to handle them. And, when someone does or says something to upset you, know that it’s not truly about you.

When you consider the situation from this perspective, you are less affected by it. Even better, you won’t give your power away by reacting in a way you may regret later.

“Visualize your highest self and start showing up as him/her.”

Ali Owens

Action Step

Based on previous interactions, you probably have a pretty good idea of how family members may push your buttons this holiday season. So, why not rehearse in advance how you are going to handle it?

This doesn’t mean you come up with a list of clever comebacks, as tempting as that might be! It does mean that no matter how someone may try to trigger you, you don’t react with anger or internalize their negativity.

So, try a simple, but neutral response like, “I’m sorry you feel that way.”

By not engaging, you take control of the situation, and you won’t accrue bad karma from this experience.

3. Carve Out Me Time

It’s essential to keep the mental health aspects of your routine in place during the holiday season. Although you may naturally want to put your loved ones first, it’s important to make self care a priority.

It can hard to make time for yourself when you’re being pulled in different directions. But, when you neglect yourself it will eventually catch up with you.

With a little effort, you can continue to make a healthy, active lifestyle a priority. And, practicing self-care will help you to feel your best this holiday season!

Action Steps

Unplug

For a fixed amount of time, allow yourself to unplug. Instead, read a book or magazine, go for a walk, take a long bath, have an in-home spa day, or simply gaze out of the window and daydream.

There are many ways to find time to indulge in a little “me time” to rediscover the magic of the holiday season.

Create Something

Get your creative juices flowing! Why not make something just for fun? And don’t worry, it doesn’t have to be perfect!

Bake a cake, color in a coloring book, draw, or go to a pottery class. And, try not to be too concerned with how it turns out. The act of creating is important here, not the end result.

Take Yourself Out

Indulge in a leisurely meal alone at a nice sit-down restaurant or relax over a coffee at your favorite coffee shop. Read a book, people watch, or get lost in thought.

Just remember to thoroughly enjoy yourself! This is the perfect mid-week break from your normal routine.

Go to Bed Early

Going to bed early is one of the most beneficial things I’ve ever done for myself. A regular sleep routine is essential to making the most of each day.

And, a good night’s sleep may be more important than you realize.

Studies have shown that lack of sleep can cause a myriad of health problems, not to mention what it does to your mood.

There are obvious signs of sleep deprivation (yawning, irritability, fatigue), then there are the more serious health complications.

Chronic sleep deprivation or erratic sleep patterns can wreak havoc on your bodily functions and systems.

Lack of sleep can result in serious side effects like a greater susceptibility to infection. You become more vulnerable to chronic illnesses, like diabetes and heart disease.

And, because sleep affects the processes that keep your heart and blood vessels healthy, you are more likely to get cardiovascular disease.

These are the most dangerous side effects, but unfortunately, there are many more.

Early to Bed, Early to Rise

When you go to bed early, you wake up refreshed and ready for the day. Also, it’s a guilty pleasure to get up early enough and enjoy quiet time before the family wakes up and the morning rush begins.

Use this valuable time to meditate, go for a walk, write in a gratitude journal, or do whatever makes you feel, well, like you!

4. Stay Active

There’s no substitute for physical activity to help you energize and rediscover the magic of the holiday season!

It’s important in so many ways. You feel better when you are active. As a result, you tend to eat more healthily. And, your body releases dopamine when you exercise, so your mood improves.

It’s also great for your brain! Did you know that when you regularly engage in physical activity you have a better memory, less depression, and can learn more quickly?

And, feeling good and energized will help you to make the most of the holidays this year!

One obvious benefit, and a motivating factor, is weight loss. Exercise actually shrinks your fat cells. And, with consistent aerobic activity, your body become better at burning fat, which requires a lot of oxygen.

As a result, your cardiovascular system gets stronger and better able to transport oxygen to the rest of the body. Therefore, you’re able to convert more fat as an energy source.

Here a some other surprising benefits of physical activity.

• Decreases the risk of osteoporosis.
• Improves your sex life.
• Improves digestion.
• Reduces inflammation.
• Enhances mental function and work productivity.
• Reduces the risk of cancer

Action Step

Create your own personalized daily workout routine (yes daily). Moving and stretching your body everyday is key to being happy and less stressed.

And, this enhances the quality of your life and leads to better overall health.

Be sure that your plan is realistic for you. If not, you won’t be able to exercise with fidelity.

For instance, I wake up at 5 AM and work until 9. After spending four hours in front of the computer, I am ready to get moving. So, I take an hour or two off to practice yoga, cycle, or walk.

This schedule works well for me. But, you have to do what works best for you in order to stay committed.

5. Create a Holiday Bucket List

Creating a personalized bucket list will help you to make the most of the holidays. Everyone will have a different idea of what the perfect holiday season includes.

For instance, in December, I love to go into the city to see the yearly production of A Christmas Carol. The story of Ebeneezer Scrooge has always been one of my favorites and embodies the Christmas spirit.

And, it’s fun to walk around the city, see the lights, and be a part of the festivities.

You might want to participate in a holiday 5K, turn your house into a Christmastime fairytale, or find the perfect holiday gift for a loved ones. Or, simply watch holiday movies with a mug of hot cocoa by a warm fire.

Whatever it is, indulge yourself. ‘Tis the season to be joyful!

Action Step

You can create a bucket list for yourself. Here are a few holiday bucket list ideas to help you get started:

• Go ice skating.
• Catch up with a friend.
• Try out the seasonal Starbucks drinks.
• Bake holiday cookies.
• Drive around and look at lights.
• Throw your own holiday soiree.
• Donate your time to a good cause.
• Commit a random act of kindness.

6. Make Your Home Festive

Put some effort into your Christmas decor this year, especially inside of your home. This is a surefire way to instantly inspire a festive vibe and help you make the most of the holidays.

You’ll be more inclined to have a holiday party or invite friends around for a drink. These are the memories that make the holiday season special!

And, think about the amount of time that you spend indoors. Your environment has a big impact on your mood. Cluttered or uncomfortable spaces can bring you down.

So, consider investing in key items that elevate your home and give you cozy, soothing vibes this winter season.

Action Step

A fun way to get started is to log in to Pinterest and pick one or two Pins on Christmas or holiday decor that you’d like to try. Creating a beautiful holiday scene in your home will add some magic to the season.

For instance, a luxury throw blanket or robe will help you to relax and unwind. And, by adding some winter scented candles to every room, you can set a relaxing mood and fill your home with the scents of the season.

7. Do What You Love

In order to rediscover the magic of the holidays, spend time everyday doing what you love.

Hobbies are so important because they make you who you are! And, being in the flow of doing what inspires you is a wonderful way to nurture yourself.

For instance, I have a friend who is such a talented knitter. She makes the most beautiful presents for the people in her life. And, my sister creates gorgeous, rustic-looking signs for the home. They are so unique and I can see her personality in each and every one.

And, be sure to participate in holiday activities that you enjoy. You may go to a local outdoor ice-skating rink, visit a tree farm to pick out the perfect Christmas tree, or simply drive around your town to view the festive decorations.

Make these activities a yearly winter ritual and create wonderful memories with your loved ones!

Action Step

Commit to pursuing at least one of your passion projects this winter. Whether it’s writing a book, starting a daily yoga practice, learning a new recipe, or writing in a gratitude journal, choose something that generates positive vibes and makes you feel alive!

“The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new.”

Socrates

Rediscover the Magic of the Holidays

These are the things that make life special. You are always at your best when you can express your authentic self.

So, which activity makes you feel most like yourself? Personally, I love writing, cycling and practicing yoga. I feel a greater connection to self and the world around me when I engage in these activities.

Life is a journey back to yourself. The holiday season can be a wonderful reminder of who you are and why you are here. So, be grateful for everything you have in your life and make the most of the holidays this year!

As Viktor Frankl once said, “What is to give light must endure burning.” Illuminate your life and defy the darkness of winter.

Keep Reading…

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• Shop My Favorite Luxury Throw Blankets for Fall and Winter, click here.
• 4 Secrets to Beat the Winter Blues, click here.

What are some things that you do during the holiday season to de-stress. Which of the above ideas would you like to try this year?

I wish you and your family a truly wonderful holiday season.

Comment below and get the conversation started!

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