Nov 17

Nov 17 5 Tips for Being Intentional During the Holidays

Over the past year, I’ve wanted to find ways to be more intentional in my daily life. Living intentionally is about recognizing time as your most valuable asset, and being very selective with how you use it. For me, that also means what I allow to enter my headspace. With the pandemic. we have all experienced an incredibly difficult period in our lives. For many, the trickle-down effect has meant reassessing our lifestyle, and has provided the space for reflection, and a deliberate change in our perspectives and priorities. In essence, a collective call to more intentional living.

The holidays often feel like a time of so much hustle, bustle, and “must-do’s” that we end up feeling mentally and physically exhausted by the time the new year rolls around. Perhaps we can instead give ourselves some ways to satisfy the craving for extra time with those we love, and true rest.

Here’s some practices I plan to do to support an intentional mindset through the holidays, and beyond.

1) Monthly intention writing.

Write down three things you intend to practice during that month. They can be as simple as reminding yourself that you’re doing your best.

2) One “unplug” day a week.

Don’t get me wrong, this one will be HARD, but the whole idea also seems so FREEING. I hope to let the holidays help me set this habit - pick a day, stick to it, and unplug.

3) Do the “is it in my control?” check in.

Sometimes, the things that bother me the most (and that I allow precious headspace for) are completely out of my control. Honing the awareness, and checking in when something is eating at me to ask if it’s something I can control, and if not, let it mentally slip away.

4) The To-Do List Edit

I know so many people who work to-do lists like pros, and I’m all about keeping track of tasks, but for some, an ever-growing list can become overwhelming. I plan to devise an editing system that separates necessary tasks on the list from those I feel I need or “should” do can help reduce overwhelm. I suspect it will also help clarify important tasks versus the things that keep me “busy” that I may be able to offload altogether.