Hey There Friends!
It’s been a while and I’ve missed you!
How are you? I’ve been looking at the weather throughout the US and it feels like Mother Nature might have had one too many on Thanksgiving, on Dec 1 it was 45 degrees and I was wearing just a sweatshirt to run errands. A sweatshirt! In December! #Crazy
Speaking of crazy, how’s your water intake? Has the change of season’s impacted your consumption? What tips are you using for keeping yourself hydrated? We’d all love to know!!
Well, here’s what’s up. I took a walk with a friend, then had a conversation with another friend, and saw a post by another friend and this idea has been ruminating.
The weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas (some say to New Years) get labeled “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” but what if they aren’t wonderful for you? What if you feel pressured by the Pinterest Moms to empty your bank account on hand crafted teacher gifts? What if you have some newly discovered health concerns that mean you can’t express or take in other’s love language of rich and delicious holiday food and treats? What if your heart is grieving the loss of a loved one from death or divorce?
How do we experience authenticity during what is actually a magically stressful time of the year?
Authenticity’s definition is lengthy and multi-faceted. For this purpose we’ll call it, recognizing and accepting the abundance and limits of yourself and others, without judgement, with boundaries & objectivity, and living it daily.
This Week’s Topic – Intro to Authenticity (Holiday Edition)
Fast Fact 1: Stepping into authenticity would look something like, “Wow! I just had a very immediate (and maybe negative) reaction to that comment/statement/article/conversation. I wonder where that comes from?” Curiosity is a great first step. Often we find our past history & experiences form our future responses. Is that in alignment with what we seek to put out into the world?
Fast Fact 2: Framing this “season”. The truth is, “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” is only 5.5 weeks. Out of 52! That’s 10% of the year. We’re giving away much of our capacity to 10% of the year. If this is something you love and can accommodate – go forth! If this is not, perhaps “Christmas in July” or being honest with those close to you about wanting something different (and being open to the possibility that they aren’t there yet) is more of a step to take.
Fast Fact 3: Practicing actual self-care. If we find ourselves in situations where we are not yet able to be authentic – years of being “yes” people, part of a “but this is how we’ve always done it”, or “that doesn’t seem very festive”. Feel free to say no! This is your blanket permission to excuse yourself from something that is going to drain your energy, your light, your giving, your spirit, etc. Your friendly neighborhood health coach, Shanna Larson, said you can stay home and crochet, read, watch a movie, take a walk, eat or drink something nourishing, go to bed on time, wake up with the sun, take a bath, or any combination therein.
The truth is, this is a huge, long topic and we can certainly discuss it further and in other weeks. Embracing Authenticity doesn’t happen overnight, it does take personal commitment, you may stumble at times, and you may find life more fulfilling when you can. Full transparency, just the other day a family member told me something and I lost it on the inside! I had to ask myself everything I just shared with all of you to come up with a response that represented how I was feeling AND what I wanted to put out into the world.
So what’s sticking with you from this week?
This is only an introduction and I’m grateful that you’ve made space for me here.
Until next time!
Healthy Happens Every Day 