The holidays are here. I think, as I write this, the official countdown to Christmas day is only 12 days!
Ready or not, here it comes! And with it, all of the gatherings, family events and more. Stressful or not, it’s not always a viable option to back out of these events if we feel less than excited about them. Most of us can’t avoid our families, and probably deep down we don't truly want to. These events are part of our traditions and we love them.
But …
That doesn’t mean it’s not sometimes a challenge to be around family, and more still to be present at ALL the events of the season. They can leave us drained, irritable and feeling a bit off.
I want to explore with you a bit more on why that is, then give you some of my top tips to managing any gathering with ease and, yes!, even enjoy it! I believe that when we have more awareness of the why it helps us to process through and enjoy even more.
That is what my wish is for you this season and always: To thrive and enjoy this life as an empath or sensitive one, or just as the beautiful soul that you are.
First things first. Although you may not agree with me on this, your family is your family. You were born into them and have become part of them for a reason. You may not understand this now, but it’s the thought. Part of that truth is that each one of you has always done the best you could in every life situation. So when cousin Bob drinks too much and says some words that hurt, or when your sister tells you that you look a bit chunkier than last year … remember that where you are in your life is always the best you can do at that moment. We are all imperfectly perfect just the way we are!
The second part of this truth, and sometimes that harder one to grasp, is that we cannot control anyone else. Not even our toddler when they decide to throw themselves down on the floor and scream. Sometimes we cannot even control ourselves when we are immersed in the hectic dynamics of an event. We may get so triggered by something that our 10 year old self decides to show up and we unknowingly abandon our current self, the self we’ve been working on for so long.
I think you get my point. We ALL show up the best we know how to and we still can’t control all of it.
It’s OK! I’m going to give you tips to make the events and this time of year easier. Tips on what things you CAN control fully on the day-to-day. Let’s focus on these and stay strong, my warriors!
The goal of transformation and keeping our vibrations elevated is to keep our body in a state of flow. This time of year it can be especially easy to slip into a state of stagnation or restriction. When we are in a constricted state, it’s much more difficult to handle the stuff that comes our way. Our bodies just can’t react in the way they may be able to normally.
Keep your physical self flowing with these 3 daily practices:
1. Up the H2O!
Drinking water and being well-hydrated not only supports our physical body, but also our energetic body. It’s super easy this time of year to become dehydrated. We are swapping out our water for hot holiday drinks and alcoholic libations that simply don't benefit us like plain old water H2O does. Alcohol, specifically, adds more stress to our livers (that’s where alcohol gets processed) and our livers hold the emotions of anger and frustration in our bodies. So you guessed it! When our liver is weakened or stressed, we might not be able to fully or as easily process our negative emotions when they arise.
If you want to enjoy alcohol, that’s OK! Just make sure to drink a lot of water, too. The same goes with sugary hot drinks - offset them with plenty of water.
I could sip on coffee all day long, especially on a chilly winter day. However, being conscious of my hydration needs, I try to swap it out with a mug of warm water and a few drops of lemon essential every once in a while.
You can also add in herbal teas as a way to stay hydrated and warm.
2. Movement
Emotions = Energy in Motion
One of my go-to ways to get that energy moving is to physically MOVE. It doesn’t matter what activity you do, or if it's highly strenuous or not. Just. Move. Your. Body!
I know, I know. It's cold outside, we have fewer hours of daylight and we get busy this time of year. Often, the first item we ditch on our to-do list is actually what we need the most for our physical and emotional health.
Have a dance party to Jingle Bell Rock, get a buddy to join you for a walk, try some gentle yoga poses in your bedroom before bed. It honestly does not have to be much, you just need to move.
Bonus: Exercise also helps with digestion. So after you stuff your face with all the holiday meals and treats, grab cousin Fred and stroll around to look at the beautiful Christmas lights.
3. Use Essential Oils
Put those beautiful bottles to use! Those essential oils that I have a slight addiction to can help with so many things this season. Only doTERRA please! You just won’t get the same results with anything else.
There is such a power in these little brown bottles that sometimes I even think it’s mind blowing. Get into a daily habit of using oils and taking breaks for a reset.
One of the most profound yet simple practices I have adopted is to put an oil in the palm of my hand and just sit and breathe it in for three minutes. That’s three short minutes for a full bottle reset. I know we all have three minutes.
Now that’s something you could sneak into the bathroom and do at a gathering (I know this because I have done it more than once). It’s like a mini adult time out!
You can grab any oil that you like as long as it's dōTERRA.
Here’s a little blend I think you might enjoy:
1 Drop each in the palm of your hand:
Take these tips, pass them on, embrace them and enjoy the magic that this season has to offer. Enjoy the people that you love and remember you are always supported in both seen and unseen ways.
For more tips on thriving in this world as an empath, make sure to grab my full empath guide with even more of my secrets.
XXOO,
Katie