When the going gets sticky, the stillness offers a way out.
When I was a kid, this time of year — aside from Santa and presents and holiday break — also meant Christmas Eve church services.
And since Mom was the church choir director, this also meant attending both of the services before going home and opening presents.
Three hours of church before opening presents! Talk about anticipation!
My brother and I would get scolded for “horsing around” as our family sat there in the front pew. “Sit still!” my dad whispered harshly. We snapped to quiet in the hopes that it would soon be over.
Just like then, sitting still is one of the surest ways to reclaim your personal peace during the holidays, or any day.
In just 3 steps, you can tap the stillness and open to the peace within:
- Find a place where you won’t be interrupted — 10 minutes alone is a great amount to shoot for.
- Sit in an upright, aligned and relaxed posture, feet on the ground, hands resting gently on your lap, eyes open or closed.
- Notice your body breathing. Feel the breath at the tip of your nose, the gentle expansion of the abdomen.
If your mind is particularly active, just let the thoughts run. Make room for them.
Then come back to the feeling of the breath, notice the body. Every time you notice a thought and then come back to the breath, your thoughts have less control over you.
Instead of thinking that you have to rush around, you get to stop. To really be still.
Experiencing peace within, we make the world more peaceful. Great timing.
Stress Release Tip
Increase your resilience to stress over the holidays by getting enough rest, eating well and proactively scheduling downtime. If we’re overtired and undernourished, things can go sideways pretty easily. Happy body = happy mind.
Mindful Moment
The antidote for the wandering mind is attention to attention itself: noticing that you’re not noticing what you should, then correcting your focus. Mindfulness makes this crucial attention muscle stronger. As you work today, bring awareness to how distracting you are at times. Then come back to what you were doing. Or take a break.
Quote From Adam
“We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves.”
– Dalai Lama
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