Begin with a deep breath in and exhale,
Softly settle into the space around you,
Finding a position that's comfortable for you,
Maybe seated or perhaps lying down,
And gently begin to notice your breath as it is.
With each breath,
Feel the tension release from your body and let yourself settle more.
As you continue to relax into your space,
Softly let your eyes fall closed if that feels okay,
Or rest into a soft downward gaze.
Take a deep breath in and exhale,
Feeling any lingering tension fade away.
Another deep breath in and exhale,
Settling more.
The holiday season is wrapped in so much expectation from outside ourselves,
Such as getting gifts or attending parties,
But consider that some of these expectations are coming from within.
We each carry a certain nostalgia for the holidays as they once were,
A longing for simpler times,
For when you waited with your siblings to open gifts,
For playing board games with family members that have since passed,
For afternoons spent in the snow with your childhood dog.
What memories are you nostalgic for?
Can you see them in your mind?
Let those memories wash over you now.
Remember to anchor back to your breath and breathe through whatever is coming up for you now.
Is it possible that the nostalgia for these joyful memories is bringing some of the expectations?
That the longing for how things once were is causing some of your discomfort,
Loneliness,
Or disappointment?
I invite you to place your hands over your heart,
Or perhaps wrap your arms around yourself in an embrace,
And give yourself permission to let go of the expectations and enjoy what is happening now.
Could these moments become memories you are nostalgic for in the future?
Pema Chodron writes,
Lower your standards and relax how it is.
Take a deep breath in feeling all the joy and warmth of your holiday memories,
And exhale.
Release the expectation that things will be the same year after year.
Inhale,
Making room for new memories.
Exhale,
Relax how it is.
Gently notice the shift within you.
Is there anything you can whisper to your own heart in this moment?
When you're ready,
Begin to come back into your body and surroundings.
Blink open your eyes if they were closed,
And settle back into this moment.
As you go through your holiday season,
If you feel yourself drifting back into this place of expectation for how things were,
Notice with non-judgment and gently shift your attention back to the present.
I'm wishing you all the best this holiday season loves,
And I hope you enjoy the time however you spend it.
