The intense traffic. The lights and blowup figures. The crush of people shopping, or attending concerts or choral presentations. Busy, hectic schedules. Plenty to do. Wrapping gifts. Baking. Decorating your house. Attending parties. Eating too much sugar.
This time of year is one of activity and stress, as we
prepare for a holiday period that tends to stretch from late November all the
way through the month of December. Sometimes we nearly drop from exhaustion.
Sometimes we fight colds and other illnesses that attack because of exposure to
lots of people with various types of illnesses and depleted immune systems.
No matter how good you are at organizing your time and
parceling your energy, this time of year can be challenging. Often, it’s a
period we look forward to, but that can overwhelm us if we aren’t careful.
Sometimes physical ailments and illnesses make us have to
change our plans. Or weather challenges disrupt travel plans. No matter how
much you’ve looked forward to the events that crowd the calendar this time of
year, you may have to make other arrangements when something comes along that
makes change necessary.
I remember being leveled as a teenager for three weeks─a
time when I was unable to even get out of bed, let along sing in our choir’s
concert, attend the big 9th grade dance, or do my Christmas
shopping. Sometimes, the holiday season has to pass you by, like it did me that
year.
When chaos and stress reign over your life because of the
demands on your time, the sheer number of events on your calendar, or the
demands those you love put on you because they want you to share the holiday with them, it is important to find a
way to protect yourself.
During those times, you may need some time of peace. Some
time when you can get away from the hustle and bustle and replenish your
energy. This is especially true if you’re an introvert. It isn’t that
introverts don’t like people, or don’t want to be around them. It’s that we need
to have time alone to replenish our energy. While extroverts replenish
themselves around people, introverts replenish alone.
This time of the year, it’s helpful to search out some a
Silent Night. Amidst the hustle and bustle, and the noise of holiday preparations
and celebrations, it’s important to be able to find time when you can lose
yourself in silence. The silence can take many forms:
- It can be the silence of prayer or meditation
- It can be the sound of snow falling softly
- It can be the comforting sound of horses eating grain in the shelter of a barn
- It can be a hike along a trail in the mountains
- IT can be sitting by a fire, staring at the flames, and listening to the soft sounds of crackling and whooshing
- It can be standing at the door to your house or apartment, staring up at the stars that light the clear winter night·
No matter what your “Silent Night” sounds like or how you
create it, it can offer you a respite from the stress and noise of holiday
preparations. It provides you with a balance that makes the enjoyment of this
season possible and far less stressful.
The best way to make this time of year truly a
celebration and a special time you can enjoy is by balancing it with the
relaxation, the calm, the peace, and the silence we can each find if we take
the time and energy to bother.
It’s definitely worth it. Make your holiday one you can
actually enjoy. Create your own strategies for including a Silent Night in your
hectic schedule. Regularly. When January comes, you’ll be extra glad you did.
If you want ideas for doing this, feel free to email me
at Linda@InnerResourceCenter.com or
call me at 865-983-7544 and I’ll help you brainstorm ideas. One of the things
that makes the holiday special for me is to help people move through them with
more joy and less stress. Reach out. I’m here, ready to help.
Warmest wishes for a wonderful, peaceful holiday,
Linda
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