Have a Non-Doing Holiday Season
We are in the thick of the busy season that is December. Radio ads, catalogs, and Instagram are full of suggestions for what to DO and to buy so that you can have the “perfect” holiday season. Every advertiser on the planet seems to want to tell you what you HAVE to do, and how much you have to spend if you want your holiday to feel special.
Honestly, I’m not into it. The commercialism of it all feels fake. I know what is important to me and it has nothing to do with what gifts I choose to buy for my people.
If you’re anything like me, you already already what’s important to you and what you can let go of this season. But, knowing it and doing it are two different things!
Even when you know what’s important, it’s still easy to get caught up in the momentum of the season. Without really realizing what’s happening, you turn your energy and attention towards things that don’t matter as much to you and you forget about the things that DO matter. The longer you spend outside the zone of your values, the harder it feels to come back. Then as you keep getting pulled out it becomes a cycle of moving further and further from what’s important instead of deeper and deeper into it. And, again if you’re like me, to make the whole situation worse, when you do finally wake up to what you’ve been up to, you pile a heap of shame on yourself for it. Yuck.
The challenge is to stay connected to what you value even while the rest of the world shouts about what you “should” be doing. It’s hard not to let yourself be pulled toward shiny objects. AND it’s really hard to forgive yourself and recover quickly when you inevitably lose your way.
So, what can you do to stay connected to what’s important?
Even before you start getting distracted, start spending less time DOing and more time Non-Doing. By Non-Doing I mean sitting quietly with a cup of tea, standing outside in the rain for a few minutes, meditating, or staring out the window with no agenda for five minutes. Non-Doing is anything that lets you stop doing for a minute of two without falling asleep. (obviously, NOT plugged in)
I know it sounds impossible at this time of year - there are so many more things to do than usual. But Non-Doing will actually shorten your to-do list, and is imperative if you want to stay connected to your values this season.
When you spend time Non-Doing it helps you come back to your center. Being in center is a more focused place for your mind and emotions. It clears fogginess and distractions in your mind. When you are feel centered you will feel more connected to what is important to YOU. And it is much easier to let go of doing those things that just aren’t important. That means, instead of piling more and more things onto your to-do list, you take more and more things OFF of it.
You can non-do before you start getting distracted, as immunity against the pull of commercialism. But if you’re already off course, non-doing is a kind of righting mechanism, like a GPS for your holiday season. Even if things feel very chaotic around you, you can pause, take a few minutes to Non-do and re-center. Once you do you will know what needs to happen and what doesn’t need to happen next. Now you can move forward from your center again. It’s always nice to also offer a little compassion to yourself as a human who struggles to stick to her values. Non-Do as often as you need to so that you can live the holiday you want to live.
You deserve a holiday season that feels nourishing and magical to YOU. You deserve a holiday season that brings you more joy and connection, not more stress. When you spend time getting centered by non-doing you remember what makes you feel that way and you can make it happen for yourself and your loves.
Does this resonate with you? I’d love for you to leave a comment below and to share this post with a friend. Happy Holidays! Not sure what is most important to you this year? Read my previous post to help you remember what you value.